In  Memory  0 


t 


Y  P  'O 


tihvavy  of  t:he  theological  ^tminary 

PRINCETON  .  NEW  JERSEY 

FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
ROBERT  ELLIOTT  SPEER 


BV  2610  .C36 


In  memory  of  Mary  L.  Carter 


if^K^ 


MARY   L.  CARTER 


/ 


9!n  iHemort 


OF 


MARY    L.   CARTER 


Born  Aug.  22,  1836 
Died  Nov.  16,  1895 


PrinteU  for  fjer  (JTIjiHiren  anil  (Sranlicfjiltjren 
anlJ  tijost  bj!)0  loiJttJ  Ij^r* 


NEW  YORK 
1896 


IN    THE    SUNSHINE. 


The  blessing  of  her  quiet  life 

Fell  on  lis  like  the  dew, 
And  good  thoughts  where  her  footsteps  pressed 

Like  fairy  blossoms  grew. 

WHITTIER. 


IV  /TARY  LOUISA  BENEDICT  was 
-^^ ^  born  in  Bridgeport,  Conn,,  on  the 
22d  of  August,  1836.  She  was  the  elev- 
enth generation  by  lineal  descent  from 
Charles  Chauncey,  the  second  President 
of  Harvard  College.  Among  her  ances- 
tors on  the  maternal  side  were  Samuel 
Edwards,  who  was  at  the  siege  of  Louis- 
burg,  and  Lemuel  Coleman,  her  great 
grandfather,  who  fought  at  Saratoga,  the 
decisive  battle  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution. 

When  she  was  two  years  old,  the  family 
removed  to  New  York  City  where  the  most 
of  her  life  was  spent. 

Early  in  life,  she  gave  her  heart  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  made  a  public  profession  of 
her  faith  in  Him. 


lO  Mary  L.   Carter. 

Her  father,  Mr.  Jesse  W.  Benedict,  was 
an  eminent  and  successful  lawyer,  who, 
though  well  versed  in  law,  was  still  better 
versed  in  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Himself  an  ardent  and  delighted  student  of 
God's  word,  he  sought  early  to  instil  into 
his  children,  a  love  of  Bible  study.  Mary 
was  his  eldest  daughter,  and  was  greatly 
interested  in  her  father's  Bible  studies,  and 
loved  dearly  to  hear  him  expound  the  word 
at  family  worship. 

Dr.  Cuyler  in  one  of  his  spicy  letters 
from  "  Under  the  Catalpa,"  in  the  New 
York  Evangelist  says :  "  One  of  that 
noble  group  of  useful  laymen  whom  I  al- 
luded to  in  a  former  article,  was  the  late 
Jesse  W.  Benedict,  a  prominent  lawyer. 
He  came  to  New  York  from  his  native 
town  in  Connecticut,  when  he  was  about 
twenty,  and  a  friend  in  his  boarding-house 
urged  him  to  go  and  hear  Dr.  Cox  in 
the  Laight  St.  Church.  He  was  converted 
there  and  united  with  that  church  not  lar 
from  the  time   William  E.   Dodge  joined. 


In  the  Simshme.  n 

Mr.  Benedict  was  a  diligent  and  profound 
Bible  student.  He  was  more  familiar  with 
the  different  '  Codices '  of  God's  Word 
than  many  a  graduate  of  our  Theological 
Seminaries." 

Miss  Benedict  was  married  to  Mr.  Peter 
Carter,  of  the  publishing  firm  of  Robert 
Carter  and  Bros.,  on  the  25th  of  March, 
1857,  by  the  Rev.  William  Adams,  D.D.  in 
the  Madison  Square  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  young  couple  went  to  house-keep- 
ing within  a  fortnight  from  the  day  they 
were  married.  Mrs.  Carter's  love  of  music, 
both  vocal  and  instrumental,  and  her  bright 
and  happy  manner,  drew  around  her  a 
great  many  young  people.  She  was  rarely 
known  to  refuse  to  sing  or  play  at  the 
request  of  any  one  interested  in  music. 
The  hospitality  of  the  little  house  became 
well  known,  and  its  sweet  young  mistress 
grew  to  be  a  universal  favorite. 

Her  husband  having  been  born  in  Scot- 
land, she  took  special  delight  in  Scottish 
songs.     By  careful  attention  and  painstak- 


12  Mary  L.   Cartel'. 

ing  effort  she  learned  to  sing  them  almost 
like  a  native. 

The  Teacher's  Meetings  of  Mr.  Carter's 
Sunday  School  of  colored  children  were 
held  at  their  house.  These  teachers  were 
many  of  them  Scotch  and  enjoyed  greatly 
the  social  hour  after  the  business  meeting 
was  ended. 

Mrs.  Carter  was  the  life  of  the  evening. 
The  new  teachers  and  the  bashful  and 
timid  ones  were  sought  out  by  her  and 
made  to  feel  at  home.  All  felt  the  influ- 
ence of  her  presence. 

Every  one  of  her  children  took  part  in 
the  work  of  the  colored  school  at  an  early 
age,  and  were  thus  taught  to  live  for  others. 

Her  growth  in  grace  and  in  consequent 
usefulness  was  visible  to  everyone  but  her- 
self. Clad  in  humility,  she  noticed  only 
her  failures  while  others  observed  her  rapid 
progress  in  the  Christian  life. 

She  was  the  loving,  faithful  mother  of 
nine  children,  to  whose  nurture  and  care 
she  gave  herself  unreservedly  and  with  the 


/;/  the  Stmshine.  13 

blessed  results  that  always  follow  such 
devotion.  Three  of  her  children  were 
called  to  be  with  Jesus  in  infancy.  Of  the 
others,  a  loving  friend  writes  :  — 

"  To  her  six  children,  too,  who  have 
gone  out  into  the  world  to  do  the  work  of 
brave  Christian  men  and  women,  her  life 
must  ever  be  an  inspiration. 

"  Many  parents  lament  that  their  child- 
ren do  not  early  give  themselves  to  Christ. 
May  not  this  be  partly  due  to  a  lack  in 
themselves  }  Mrs.  Carter  carefully  trained 
her  children  to  habits  of  earnest  prayer ; 
she  herself  not  only  prayed  for  them  but 
with  them  ;  she  taught  them  that  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ  was  a  glad,  joyous  service, 
and  that  it  was  fitting  they  should  acknow- 
ledge their  Master  before  their  associates 
and  she  had  the  great  happiness  of  seeing 
them  all  early  enter,  one  after  another, 
upon  a  Christian  life." 

It  was  a  sweet  Christian  home.  Both 
father  and  mother  endeavored  by  their  ex- 
ample to  lead   their  children  in  the  right 


14  Mary  L.  Carter. 

way.  They  made  it  a  happy  home  by  their 
kindly  hospitahty.  Strangers  were  always 
welcome.  Ministers  and  missionaries,  the 
poor  as  well  as  the  rich,  felt  themselves 
part  of  the  family  while  they  tarried. 
Young  men  in  boarding-houses  were  in- 
vited to  Sunday  night  teas  and  enjoyed  the 
singing  hour  that  followed. 

A  missionary  of  the  American  Board, 
writing  from  a  distant  land  says  :  "  I  shall 
never  forget  how,  many  years  ago,  she 
made  me,  an  awkward  girl,  have  such  a 
beautiful  visit  at  Lake  Mahopac. 

"  The  last  time  I  was  in  America,  I  went 
often  to  the  City  and  it  always  seemed  to 
me  that  the  sunniest  place  in  New  York 
was  330  West  28th  Street  where  dear  Mrs. 
Carter  was  sure  to  be  at  home  and  as  sure 
to  treat  me,  with  her  genial  hospitality,  as 
if  I  belonged  to  her." 

She  was  pre-eminently  a  bright  Chris- 
tian. She  breathed  an  atmosphere  of  sun- 
shine, and  her  ringing  laugh  was  an  inspi- 
ration.    To  the  very  last,  in  spite  of  days 


In  the  Sunshine.  15 

of  weariness  and  suffering,  she  was  not 
only  wonderfully  patient  but  cheerful,  with 
a  sweet  smile  of  welcome  for  all  who  came 
into  her  sick  room. 

As  she  was  one  of  the  most  unselfish  of 
women,  so  as  might  have  been  expected, 
she  was  one  of  the  most  generous.  She 
regularly  set  apart  one-tenth  of  her  income 
to  the  work  of  the  Lord.  But  she  often 
far  exceeded  this  amount  in  her  giving. 
She  was  careful  to  instil  into  her  children's 
minds  that  the  tenth  belonged  to  the 
Lord,  and  others  outside  of  her  family 
were  advised  to  pursue  this  blessed  plan. 

While  the  family  were  spending  the 
summer  in  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  many  years 
ago,  she  became  greatly  interested  in  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  a  little  colony  of  Ger- 
mans who  were  working  in  a  pulp  mill. 
She  procured  tracts  and  testaments  in 
German  and  distributed  them  on  Sabbath 
mornings.  They  were  gratefully  accepted, 
and  we  cannot  but  hope  that  at  least  some 
of  them  were  blessed  to  the  spiritual  good 


1 6  Mary  L.  Carter. 

of  those  to  whom  they  were  given.  After 
her  death,  among  some  papers  was  found 
one  written  by  her  in  pencil  describing 
these  Sabbath  visitations. 

She  says:  "  The  first  house  I  went  to  I 
knocked  at  the  door.  It  was  opened  by  a 
German.  He  said  in  broken  English, 
'  Come  in.'  I  went  in  and  sat  down.  His 
wife  soon  came  in.  I  asked  them  how  long 
they  had  been  in  this  country.  The  man 
said  he  had  been  here  three  years.  His 
wife  had  been  here  twelve,  but  he  could 
speak  better  English  than  she  could.  He 
enlisted  soon  after  he  came  and  was  in  the 
war  sixteen  months.  I  said,  'Then  you 
learned  to  speak  English  there.'  He  re- 
plied that  he  had  been  in  a  German  regi- 
ment where  they  spoke  no  English.  He 
had  learned  to  speak  English  in  Stock- 
bridge.  I  asked  him  if  he  went  to  church. 
He  said  he  did  and  could  understand  a 
good  deal  the  minister  said.  I  then  en- 
quired if  they  had  a  Bible.  They  had  one 
and  they  showed  it  to  me.     It  was  a  Ger- 


In  the  Suits/line,  ly 

man  Bible.  I  told  them  that  I  hoped  they 
read  it,  and  they  assured  me  they  did. 
They  said  they  liked  the  tracts  I  had 
given  them  on  the  previous  Sabbath — that 
when  night  came  they  sat  down  and  read 
them. 

"  Next  door,  the  German  woman  who 
opened  the  door  to  me  had  her  Bible  in  her 
hand.  She  could  not  speak  English,  but 
she  could  understand  me  a  little.  I  gave 
her  three  German  tracts. 

**  The  next  door  was  opened  by  an  Amer- 
ican woman.  I  gave  her  some  English 
tracts.  Her  husband  was  asleep  as  he  had 
been  in  the  mill  all  Saturday  night.  In 
the  next  house  I  was  met  most  cordially 
by  a  German  and  his  wife.  I  asked  the 
man  how  long  he  had  been  in  America. 
He  replied  in  very  broken  English  that  it 
would  be  a  year  in  December,  but  'his 
Vrow '  had  only  been  here  one  month.  I 
asked  him  if  he  had  a  Bible.  He  ran  and 
got  it.  It  was  a  large  one.  He  said  it 
was   his    *  Vrow's.'      '  She   bring   it   from 


1 8  Mary  L.  Carter. 

Faderland.*  I  said,  *  I  hope  you  read  it.  ' 
He  replied,  '  Oh  yes.  Work  all  day,  night 
read ;  have  time.'  I  asked  them  if  they 
could  understand  the  preaching.  He  said 
he  could  a  little,  but  his  wife  could  under- 
stand nothing. 

''  These  Germans  are  all  very  grateful 
and  I  love  to  visit  them." 

A  few  years  later  at  Lake  Mahopac 
where  a  large  number  of  Italians  were  at 
work  in  constructing  a  new  railway,  she 
found  opportunity  to  do  a  similar  blessed 
work.  For  many  Sabbaths  she  gave  them 
testanients  and  tracts  in  their  own  lan- 
guage. During  her  last  summer  on  earth 
although  a  suffering  invalid,  set  aside  from 
active  work  for  her  Master,  yet  her  heart 
went  out  to  others.  Sitting  on  her  piazza 
day  after  day,  she  became  interested  in  a 
band  of  Italians  at  work  in  the  road  before 
her  house.  She  sent  to  New  York  for 
Italian  tracts  and  made  the  eldest  of  her 
grandchildren  in  Bloomfield  her  messenger 
to  distribute  them  among  the  men. 


/;/  the  Sunshine.  19 

She  was  gentle  and  unassuming  yet  a 
born  leader.  In  the  Scotch  Presbyterian 
Church  in  New  York,  she  was  a  most 
efficient  worker  in  the  Home  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Societies.  The  same  was  true 
of  Bloomfield  where  she  afterwards  resided 
and  where  she  died.  She  was  always  a 
ready  helper  in  getting  together  boxes  for 
the  poor  Home  Missionaries  in  the  West. 
In  one  instance,  the  recipients  were  to  be 
a  colored  family,  the  father  a  Home  Mis- 
sionary preacher  in  Illinois. 

It  became  a  question  whether  the  usual 
enthusiasm  and  generosity  would  appear 
in  this  case.  But  the  magic  of  her  wise 
leadership  triumphed,  and  this  box  proved 
one  of  the  most  valuable  ever  sent  out  by 
the  church. 

Nine  years  ago  she  was  called  to  give 
her  youngest  daughter  to  the  service  of  the 
Lord  as  a  Foreign  Missionary  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board  in  Asia  Minor.  For  a  time 
it  was  a  struggle,  but  grace  triumphed  and 
she  gave  her  daughter  unreservedly  to  this 


20  Mary  L.  Carter. 

service.  Nor  did  she  ever  repent  having 
done  so.  Her  efforts  and  her  prayers  were 
perhaps  more  earnest  in  this  direction  than 
in  any  other  because  of  her  intensified 
interest  in  the  foreign  work.  No  guest 
was  ever  more  welcome  to  her  hospitable 
home  than  a  foreign  missionary. 

In  her  first  letter  to  her  daughter  May, 
after  sailing,  written  from  Lake  Mahopac 
she  says:  — 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  how  badly  I  felt  on 
Saturday,  after  I  had  said  good-bye.  Dear 
May,  you  have  always  been  a  great  com- 
fort to  me.  I  thank  the  Lord  for  giving 
me  so  many  dear  children.  I  want  to  tell 
you  what  a  sweet  service  we  had  on  Sab- 
bath. You  may  remember  it  was  Com- 
munion. Mr.  Schenck  prayed  for  you 
both,  asking  that  God  would  bring  you 
safely  to  your  destination,  and  bless  you  in 
your  work  as  you  had  left  father  and 
mother  and  friends  and  had  gone  to  carry 
the  gospel  to  the  perishing.  And  then  he 
prayed  for  us,  that  we  would  be  sustained 


In  the  Siinshme.  21 

and  comforted.  It  seemed  as  if  the  dear 
Lord  then  and  there  came  to  me  and 
quieted  my  heart." 

In  April,  1890,  the  twentieth  annual 
meeting  of  the  Woman's  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  met  in  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  Elmira,  N.  Y.  Though  very 
timid  about  public  work,  yet  a  sense  of 
duty  induced  her  to  accept  the  position  of 
a  delegate.  A  correspondent  of  the  New 
York  Observer,  a  stranger  to  the  family, 
in  a  report  of  the  meeting,  says : — 

**  Mrs.  Peter  Carter,  of  New  York,  at  a 
consecration  meeting,  rose  in  her  place 
among  the  delegates  and  with  a  voice  full 
of  tears  urged  the  mothers  present  to  let 
their  daughters  go  as  missionaries.  She 
well  knew  whereof  she  spoke,  her  own 
daughter  being  a  missionary  in  Turkey. 
It  was  such  a  sweet  privilege  to  give  one's 
children  to  the  work  of  the  Lord  in  heathen 
lands.  The  sacrifice  would  not  be  for- 
gotten by  the  dear  Lord,  to  whose  service 
they  were  given,  when  it  was  lovingly  and 
cheerfully  done." 


22  Mary  L.  Carter. 

A  pleasant  incident  occurred  some  years 
ago  illustrating  her  interest  in  all  mission- 
aries. Mrs.  Carter  was  one  day  crossing 
the  ferry  to  New  York,  and  observed  sitting 
opposite  to  her  a  gentleman  and  lady 
with  a  number  of  little  children  and  a 
great  many  bags  and  bundles.  From  the 
labels  on  the  luggage  she  inferred  they 
had  been  travelling  from  San  Francisco. 
After  watching  them  for  some  little  time, 
she  concluded  with  her  remarkable  dis- 
cernment that  they  were  missionaries  re- 
turning from  some  foreign  field.  As  the 
boat  entered  the  slip  she  went  across  the 
cabin  and  spoke  to  the  tired  mother.  It 
was  as  she  supposed.  They  were  home- 
ward bound  from  China.  Mrs.  Carter 
asked  the  mother  if  she  could  not  carry 
something  for  her  to  the  dock  where  she 
expected  to  meet  her  father. 

To  her  surprise  and  amusement,  the 
baby  was  placed  in  her  arms.  Needless  to 
say  she  carried  the  precious  burden  care- 
fully ashore  and  stood  with  it  in  her  arms 


In  the  Sunshine.  23 

till    father    and    daughter   had    met    and 
exchanged  affectionate  greetings. 

In  the  Scotch  church  in  New  York  some 
years  ago,  there  was  a  cultivated  Christian 
gentleman  who  had  been  born  and  brought 
up  a  Mohammedan.  The  reading  of  the 
New  Testament  put  into  his  hands  by  a 
missionary  was  the  means  of  his  conver- 
sion. When  he  declared  himself  a  Chris- 
tian, his  wife  and  children  were  taken  from 
him.  He  was  cast  into  prison  and  was 
subjected  to  great  persecution.  The  mis- 
sionaries found  out  his  condition  and  pro- 
cured his  release  with  much  difficulty.  He 
came  to  America  and  became  a  member  of 
the  Scotch  church.  He  was  very  poor 
and  suffered  for  the  want  of  many  things. 
When  Mrs.  Carter  heard  of  this,  she 
started  out  one  cold  winter  morning,  and 
in  a  few  hours  collected  sixty  dollars  for 
the  relief  of  his  immediate  wants,  and  he 
never  afterwards  suffered  for  the  want  of 
anything. 

Though  so  deeply  interested   in  others 


24  Mary  L.  Carter. 

she  never  neglected  her  own.  In  the 
words  of  the  wise  man  :  "  She  looked  well 
to  the  ways  of  her  household  and  ate  not 
the  bread  of  idleness.  Her  children  will 
rise  up  and  call  her  blessed,  her  husband 
also  and  he  praiseth  her." 

Her  untiring  devotion  to  her  children  is 
pleasantly  illustrated  in  the  following  ex- 
tract from  one  of  her  letters  :  — 

'*  Yesterday  morning  I  was  going  to  do 
up  pineapple  preserves,  when  the  bell  rang 
and  Mc  (her  son-in-law,  Mr.  Mann,  then 
living  in  Bloomfield,  N.  J.)  came  in.  I 
asked  at  once  who  was  sick.  He  replied 
that  Peter  had  tonsilitis.  He  had  come 
up  town  to  get  some  medicine,  but  that  I 
need  not  go  out  as  the  child  seemed  better. 
However,  there  was  the  medicine  Peter 
needed  at  once ;  downstairs  were  the  pine- 
apples ;  out  in  Bloomfield  the  sick  child. 
Like  the  good  grandmother  you  read  about 
I  said,  'I  will  go  as  soon  as  I  can.'  On 
the  fire  went  the  pineapples.  In  two 
hours  I  was  through.     I  dressed  in  fifteen 


In  the  Sunshine.  25 

minutes,  caught  the  11.20  train,  took  a 
carriage  and  was  soon  at  Fannie's.  Peter 
was  better  but  Fannie  was  so  glad  to  see 
me." 

It  is  most  touching  to  recall  that  she 
took  up  the  study  of  music  again  the  last 
two  years  of  her  life  for  the  sake  of  one  of 
her  boys.  They  took  lessons  and  learned 
duets  together,  the  mother  practising  quite 
as  diligently  as  the  son  and  with  equal 
enjoyment. 

Many  of  her  summers  were  spent  at 
Lake  Mahopac  where,  in  a  roomy,  old- 
fashioned  mansion  with  a  second  story 
piazza  overlooking  the  lake,  she  kept  house 
for  a  dozen  successive  summers.  Here 
troops  of  loving  friends  were  entertained 
with  that  large-hearted  hospitality  which 
was  so  strikingly  peculiar  to  her. 

On  one  of  these  occasions,  the  company 
consisted  of  nine  young  men,  who  came 
on  foot  a  distance  of  seventy  miles,  to 
spend  a  few  days.  They  were  cordially 
welcomed  and  lovingly  entertained.     Some 


2S  Mary  L.  Carter, 

ful  and  considerate  in  dealing  with  them. 
She  made  it  a  rule  never  to  speak  when 
she  was  displeased  about  a  matter,  but 
waited  until  she  had  had  time  for  quiet 
thought  and  prayer  before  giving  reproof. 
Then  she  spoke  calmly  but  firmly,  and  the 
effect  was  so  different  than  it  would  have 
been  had  she  spoken  earlier.  One  house- 
maid became  a  devoted  Christian  while 
living  with  her.  Another,  who  had  been 
with  her  for  eight  years,  sent  her  fruit 
while  she  was  sick,  and  at  the  funeral, 
wept  as  she  looked  lovingly  on  the  dear 
one  who  had  been  so  long  her  friend.  So 
beautiful  was  her  faith,  that  she  thought 
no  matter  too  trivial  to  pray  over.  She 
never  went  to  engage  a  new  domestic  but 
she  laid  the  matter  first  before  the  Lord 
and  asked  his  blessing  upon  it.  No  one  in 
her  employ  ever  left  her  in  anger. 

One  special  peculiarity  of  hers  was  a 
bright  and  happy  temperament.  Mr.  A.  D. 
F.  Randolph,  writing  to  her  husband  after 
her  death,  says  :  — 


In  the  Sunshine.  29 

"It  may  have  been  months  ago,  and  yet 
it  seems  only  a  very  little  while  since  I 
met  her  at  the  corner  of  the  avenue.  She 
seemed,  as  she  always  did,  bright  and 
cheery,  as  though  the  changes  of  years  had 
brought  no  change  to  her.  They  had  not, 
for  the  shadows  of  life  were  of  the  outside 
world  merely,  while  within,  the  sun  never 
set." 

An  old  friend,  Mr.  Patrick  Guthrie,  of 
Edinburgh,  writes:  "I  have  never  for- 
gotten the  very  happy  and  delightful  eve- 
ning I  spent  in  your  house  in  1882.  I 
vividly  recall  the  warmth  and  brightness  of 
your  dear  wife's  hospitality  and  kindness 
to  me.     *  To  know  her  was  to  love  her.' " 

Another  dear  Edinburgh  friend,  Mr. 
Ferrier  says  :  "I  know  that  our  gracious 
Lord  will  make  the  memory  of  her  beauti- 
ful life  an  inspiration  to  you  all.  Her  re- 
moval makes  a  most  sensible  blank  when  I 
think  of  our  American  friends  and  re- 
member the  bright  and  happy  —  I  think  I 
may  say  affectionate  —  welcome  which  I 
always  received  from  her." 


GATHERING    SHADOWS. 


^^  She  is  not  lost,  she  is  •within  the  door 
That  shuts  out  loss  and  every  hurtful  thing, 
IVith  angels  bright  and  loved  ones  gone  before 
In  her  Redeemer'' s  presence  evermore 
And  God  himself  her  Lord  and  fudge  and  King^ 


SHE  had  long  been  conscious  of  heart 
trouble.  It  first  manifested  itself  in 
the  difficulty  of  going  upstairs,  which  was 
one  of  the  reasons  for  removing  to  the 
country.  In  the  spring  of  1892,  the  fam- 
ily removed  to  Bloomfield,  N.  J.  Here 
she  made  many  loving  friends,  and,  while 
health  and  strength  remained,  rendered 
herself  exceedingly  useful  in  the  ladies' 
societies  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church. 
One  of  the  influential  ladies  of  this  church 
writes :  "  I  cannot  express  the  sadness  I 
feel  at  the  great  loss  that  our  Woman's 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  has  sustained 
in  the  death  of  Mrs.  Carter.  In  fact  every 
one  who  knew  her  feels  that  they  have  lost 
an  earnest  Christian  friend  and  helper. 
She  was  such  a  power  in  our  meetings.     I 

3 


34  Maiy  L.   Carter. 

feel  as  if  a  great  prop  had  been  removed 
from  us." 

In  May,  1895,  the  heart  trouble,  with 
which  she  had  been  for  some  years  more 
or  less  affected,  manifested  itself  in  new 
and  aggravated  forms  such  as  at  times  in 
extreme  shortness  of  breath,  and  at  other 
times  in  a  terrible  sense  of  faintness 
caused,  no  doubt,  by  the  irregular  action 
of  the  heart.  During  the  summer  months, 
her  days  were  spent  on  the  piazza.  Here 
her  numerous  friends  called  to  see  her.  It 
was  soon  evident  how  greatly  she  was 
beloved.  Though  she  had  only  been  three 
years  in  Bloomfield,  she  could  scarcely 
have  had  more  loving  or  devoted  friends 
had  she  always  lived  there. 

One  good  woman  said  to  a  friend :  "  It 
is  wonderful  what  a  place  Mrs.  Carter  has 
won  in  Bloomfield.  Why  you  know 
Bloomfield  people  have  the  name  of  being 
very  conservative.  But  they  took  Mrs. 
Carter  for  a  leader  in  their  benevolent 
society  just  as    soon   as    they   knew   her. 


Gathering  Shadows.  35 

And  after  she  was  confined  to  her  room 
the  ladies  still  leaned  on  her  judgment, 
and  kept  coming  to  her  for  counsel  and 
advice  about  their  work." 

She  was  very  fond  of  flowers,  and  her 
friends,  knowing  this,  kept  her  supplied 
with  quantities  of  the  most  beautiful  ones 
of  all  descriptions.  She  was  able  to  ride 
three  times  a  week,  and  this  she  greatly 
enjoyed.  On  Saturday  afternoons,  in  com- 
pany with  her  husband,  these  drives  were 
sometimes  extended  to  two  hours  or  more. 

Perhaps  her  greatest  deprivation  during 
the  summer  was  her  inability  to  attend 
church.  Her  pastor,  Mr.  Lee,  was  very 
attentive,  and  his  visits  and  prayers  were  a 
great  comfort  to  her.  Speaking  of  one  of 
these  visits  she  said,  "  It  was  such  a  lovely 
prayer,  and  did  me  so  much  good." 

Her  husband  and  herself  had  been 
several  times  to  Mohonk  Lake,  that  sweet 
haven  of  rest  for  the  tired  children  of 
God,  and  she  was  exceedingly  anxious  to 
see  that  lovely  spot  again.     Some  thought 


36  Mary  Z.  Carter, 

that  she  had  not  strength  for  the  trip,  but 
her  physician  rather  favored  it,  and  so  on 
the  19th    of  September   the  journey   was 
made.      Everything    that    care   could    do 
was  done   to  make   the  long   ride  in  the 
train  easy  and  comfortable.     Her  husband 
and  a  loving  trained    nurse  accompanied 
her.     She  stood  the  journey  much  better 
than  could  have  been  anticipated,  and  the 
loving  reception  accorded  to  her  by   Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Smiley  and  their  kind  assistants 
was  a  great   pleasure   to   her.     Her   hus- 
band's  life-long   friend.    Rev.   Dr.  Cuyler, 
came  a  few  days  after,  and  this  added  much 
to   her  enjoyment.     But  the  whole  great 
household  were  her  friends,  and  vied  with 
each  other  in  loving  attentions. 

Her  patience  in  her  sufferings  was  ob- 
served by  all.  One  good  woman  said  that 
this  patience  had  been  a  blessed  lesson 
to  her  and  one  that  she  would  never  for- 
get. 

She  staid  a  fortnight    at    Mohonk    and 

O 

the  homeward  journey  was  borne  with  com- 


Gathering  Shadows.  37 

parative  comfort.  The  trip  did  her  good. 
Her  appetite  was  improved  by  it,  and  the 
pleasant  people  she  met,  especially  two 
lady  friends  from  the  Scotch  Church  whom 
she  had  not  seen  for  some  time,  cheered 
and  interested  her. 

But  from  the  day  of  her  return  she 
steadily  declined.  She  could  no  longer 
lie  down  in  bed,  but  spent  her  nights  in  a 
chair.  The  devoted  nurse  anticipated 
every  want.  Her  eldest  daughter  from 
Chicago  came  home  and  spent  the  closing 
weeks  with  her,  and  with  the  other  daugh- 
ters watched  over  her  night  and  day.  Her 
eldest  son  also  came  frequently  home  from 
Princeton.  So  that  all  but  the  missionary 
daughter  were  much  with  her. 

On  Sabbath  afternoon,  Nov.  10,  she 
seemed  to  be  soundly  sleeping,  when  all  at 
once  she  said :  "  I  hear  every  word  you  are 
saying."  Her  husband  then  repeated  to 
her  verses  of  hymns  such  as,  **  Jesus  lover 
of  my  soul,"  "Just  as  I  am  without 
one  plea,"  and  the  23rd  Psalm  in  the  old 


38  Mary  L.  Carter. 

Scottish  Metrical  version,  which  was  a 
great  favorite  of  hers.  These  were  fol- 
lowed by  verses  from  scripture  such  as, 
*'  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,"  "  For 
God  so  loved  the  world,"  *'  This  is  a  faith- 
ful saying,"  "  The  Spirit  and  the  Bride 
say  come,"  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that 
labor  and  are  heavy  laden  "  and  so  forth. 

At  frequent  intervals  she  would  say, 
"  Go  on,"  as  if  she  were  enjoying  the 
sweet  words.  At  the  close  she  said,  **  Can- 
not we  now  have  prayers  "i  "  So  the  little 
household  all  knelt  in  prayer  together. 

She  seemed  uncommonly  bright,  and 
knew  every  one  present,  and  said  some 
kind  word  of  recognition  to  each. 

Her  husband  said,  "  Do  you  know  me, 
dear .? " 

"  Certainly,"  she  replied,  adding  with  a 
smile  and  a  good  deal  of  vim,  ''  I  have 
known  you  for  many  a  year." 

One  of  her  daughters  said,  ''  This  is 
Douglas'  birthday.  He  is  twenty-one 
today." 


Gatheri7ig  Shadows.  39 

She  replied  promptly,  "  Why  so  it  is, 
and  I  have  no  birthday  present  for  him, 
but  he  shall  have  one  tomorrow." 

A  day  or  two  after  this,  one  of  her 
daughters  kneeling  at  her  side  said, 
"  Mamma,  Jesus  is  very  precious  to  you. 
Is  he  not  ?  " 

"  Yes  indeed,"  she  replied  with  empha- 
sis, "  He  is  very  near,  I  cannot  tell  you 
how  near."  She  stopped  a  moment  and 
then  added,  '*  He  said  *  Come  unto  me ' 
and  I  came." 

Much  of  the  time  she  seemed  drowsy 
and  unconscious  of  what  was  going  on 
around  her.  At  brief  intervals  she  recog- 
nized the  family  till  Saturday  morning, 
November  i6th  at  about  4  A.  m.,  when  a 
sudden  change  came,  and  without  a  struggle 
or  a  groan  she  went  "  to  be  with  Christ." 

In  the  language  of  another,  "As  she 
lay  resting  so  sweetly  with  a  look  of  per- 
fect peace  on  her  dear  face,  sleeping  the 
blessed  sleep  that  God  gives  his  beloved, 
we   could   not  think  her  dead.     She   had 


40  Mary  L.  Carter, 

only  gone  away.     No,  she  did  not  die ;  she 
only  entered  into  life." 

"  In  idle  revery  one  winter's  day, 

I  watched  the  narrow  vista  of  a  street, 

Where  crowds  of  men  with  noisy,  hurrying  feet 

And  eager  eyes,  went  on  their  restless  way. 

Idly  I  noted  where  the  boundary  lay, 

At  which  the  distance  did  my  vision  cheat, 

Past  which  each  figure  fading  fast  did  fleet, 

And  seem  to  meet  and  vanish  in  the  gray. 

Sudden  there  came  to  me  a  thought  oft  told, 

But  newly  shining  then  like  flash  of  light, 

This  death  the  dread  of  which  turns  me  so  cold 

Outside  of  our  own  fears  has  no  stronghold ; 

T'is  but  a  boundary,  past  which  in  white, 

Our  friends  are  walking  still,  just  out  of  sight." 

Helen  Hunt  Jackson. 

"  I  cannot  and  I  will  not  say, 

That  she  is  dead,  —  she  is  just  away. 

With  a  cheery  smile,  and  a  wave  of  the  hand, 
She  has  wandered  into  an  unknown  land ; 

And  left  us  dreaming  how  very  fair 
It  needs  must  be,  since  she  is  there. 


Gathering  Shadows.  41 

And  you,  O  you,  who  the  wildest  yearn 
For  the  old-time  step  and  the  glad  return, 

Think  of  her  faring  on,  as  dear 

In  the  love  of  there  as  the  love  of  here. 

Think  of  her  still  as  the  same  I  say  ; 
She  is  not  dead,  she  is  just  away." 


LAST    TRIBUTES. 


Fold  her,  O  Father,  in  thine  arms, 
And  let  her  henceforth  he 
A  messenger  of  love  between 
Our  human  hearts  and  Thee. 

Whittier. 


THE  funeral  services  were  held  in  her 
own  home  in  Bloomfield,  N.  J.,  on 
Tuesday  afternoon,  November  19th,  1895, 
at  3  o'clock. 

A  large  concourse  of  people  from  Bloom- 
field,  Montclair,  Glen  Ridge,  New  York, 
Brooklyn  and  other  places  assembled  to 
pay  respect  to  the  beloved  one. 

The  services  were  participated  in  by  her 
pastor,  the  Rev.  James  Beveridge  Lee, 
Rev.  T.  L.  Cuyler,  D.D.,  of  Brooklyn,  Rev. 
George  Alexander,  D.D.,  of  New  York 
and  the  Rev.  Alexander  Dickson,  D.D.,  of 
Lansingburgh,  N.  Y. 

Comforting  words  from  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  were  read  by  Mr.  Lee,  and  two 
of  Mrs.  Carter's  favorite  hymns,  "  My  ain 
Countree  "  and  "  My  Jesus  as  Thou  wilt," 


46  Mary  L.  Carter. 

were  sung  by  Miss  Eleanor  McKee  of  New 
York,  accompanied  on  the  piano  by  her 
sister. 

Mr.  Lee  said  :  — 

The  greater  part  of  Mrs.  Carter's 
Christian  life  was  lived  in  the  communion 
of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church,  New 
York.  For  three  years  she  has  been  a 
regular  worshipper  and  most  faithful  and 
helpful  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  of  Bloomfield,  (N.  J.)  Through- 
out life  faithful  to  the  purposes  of  the 
Christ,  she  is  today  inheriting  His  prom- 
ises. 

It  may  seem  strange  that,  after  only 
one  year's  acquaintance,  even  her  pastor 
should  attempt  an  estimate  of  her  life. 
But  my  acquaintance  was  the  last  year 
and  the  best  year  of  her  life  —  the  time 
when  life's  currents  ran  deepest,  and  life's 
outflow  was  broadest,  the  time  when  she 
was  walking  in  the  Land  of  Beulah,  though 
neither  she  knew  it  nor  we.  In  out-of-the- 
way  places,  during  the  past  year,  I  have 


Last  Tributes,  47 

found  growing,  sometimes  blossoming,  the 
seeds  of  her  kindnesses.  In  the  public  sup- 
port of  organizations  for  benevolent  or 
missionary  undertakings  she  was  willing 
to  lead  or  to  take  rank  as  she  could  best 
serve  her  Master,  and  whether  leader  or 
follower  she  gave  stimulus  and  strength. 
The  church  at  Rome,  in  Apostolic  days, 
had  in  it  such  a  helper.  Paul  speaks  of 
her  as  one  *  who  labored  much  in  the 
Lord.'  He  calls  her  *  The  beloved  Persis.* 
Mrs.  Carter,  who  has  labored  much  in  the 
Lord,  is  our  beloved  Persis.  The  culture 
of  her  mind,  the  geniality  of  her  disposition, 
the  integrity  of  her  character,  the  excel- 
lence of  her  judgment,  the  purity  of  her 
endeavor,  the  earnestness  of  her  purpose 
and  the  largeness  of  her  love  —  these  are 
the  qualities  which  endeared  her  to  us  all. 

Pain  and  weariness  seemed  never  able 
to  blight  the  spirit  with  which  she  re- 
joiced in  others'  joys  and  sympathized  in 
their  sorrows.  That  many  friends  had 
learned  from  her  Master  the  same  lessons 


48  Mary  L.  Carter. 

was  evidenced  by  the  many  gifts,  especially 
of  flowers,  which  brightened  her  sick  cham- 
ber. It  reminds  me  of  what  John  Bunyan 
has  written  of  the  experiences  of  Chris- 
tiana, the  wife  of  Christian,  the  pilgrim, 
while  she  sojourned  in  Beulah.  '  In  this 
place,'  says  Bunyan,  *  the  children  of  the 
town  would  go  into  the  King's  gardens 
and  gather  nosegays  for  the  pilgrims  and 
brino:  them  to  them  with  much  affection. 
With  these  the  pilgrims'  chambers  were 
perfumed  while  they  stayed  there,  and 
with  these  were  their  bodies  anointed  to 
go  over  the  river  when  their  appointed  time 
was  come.' 

Let  me  read  to  you  more  that  Bunyan 
says,  for  long  ago  he  pictured  what  has 
just  now  come  to  pass :  *  Now,  while  they 
lay  here  and  waited  for  the  good  hour, 
there  was  a  noise  in  the  town  that  there 
was  a  post  come  from  the  Celestial  City 
with  matter  of  great  importance  to  one 
Christiana,  the  wife  of  Christian  the  pil- 
grim.    So  inquiry  was  made  for  her,  and 


Last  Tributes.  49 

the  house  was  found  where  she  was,  so  the 
post  presented  her  with  a  letter,  the  con- 
tents whereof  were,  *  Hail  good  woman,  I 
bring  thee  tidings  that  the  Master  calleth 
for  thee ;  and  expecteth  that  thou  shouldst 
stand  in  his  presence  in  clothes  of  immor- 
tality within  this  ten  days.'  Now  the  day 
drew  on  that  Christiana  must  be  gone.  So 
the  road  was  full  of  people  to  see  her  take 
her  journey.  But,  behold,  a41  the  banks 
beyond  the  river  were  full  of  horses  and 
chariots,  which  were  come  down  from 
above  to  accompany  her  to  the  city  gate. 
So  she  came  forth  and  entered  the  river 
with  a  beckon  of  farewell  to  those  that 
followed  her  to  the  river-side.  So  her 
children  and  friends  returned  to  their  place, 
for  that  those  that  waited  for  Christiana 
had  carried  her  out  of  their  sight' 

"Were  one  touch  lacking  to  complete 
Bunyan's  picture,  it  might  be  finished 
with  this  :  And  a  messenger  of  the  King 
brought  a  letter  sealed  with  the  royal  seal 
and  addressed  to  the  remaining  pilgrims  in 

4 


50  Mary  L.   Carter. 

Beulah,  that  in  the  reading  of  it  they  might 
find  comfort.  And  when  they  had  broken 
the  seal,  the  pilgrims  read  the  writing  and 
rejoiced  much  in  its  message.  And  the 
writing  which  was  written  was  this  :  — 

"  Whom  He  jtistified,  them  He  also  gloiified'' 

Rev.  Dr.  Theodore  L.  Cuyler  said :  — 
I  am  not  here  today  in  any  official  capac- 
ity, for  I  have  never  been  the  pastor  of 
this  dear  household.  My  heart  brings 
me  here  this  afternoon,  and  the  few  simple 
words  I  shall  utter  come  from  my  heart. 
We  are  bidden  not  only  to  "  rejoice  with 
them  that  do  rejoice,"  but  "  weep  with 
them  that  weep,"  and  I  have  come  today 
to  grasp  the  hand,  in  this  the  hour  of  his 
great  sorrow,  of  one  of  the  most  dearly 
beloved  friends  I  have  in  all  the  world, 
none,  in  fact,  more  so  than  he  outside  of 
my  own  loved  household.  And  I  have 
known  him  before  this  sweet,  sacred  union 
was  formed  that  has  now  been  stricken 
asunder  by  God's  own  hand,  ere  long  to  be 


Last  Tributes.  51 

formed  again  in  the  better  world.  I  have 
known  these  two  as  husband  and  wife 
clear  back  to  the  time  when  they  were 
made  one  in  the  Lord,  nearly  forty  years 
ago. 

A  very  bright,  happy,  beautiful  life  is 
that  which  has  just  passed  from  among  us 
up  into  the  higher  life  and  glory  of  the 
Father's  house.  Mrs.  Carter  was  happy 
in  her  parentage.  Her  father,  as  many  of 
you  know,  was  eminent  as  a  Bible  scholar, 
eminent  as  an  office-bearer  and  a  leader  in 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  Her  mother 
was  a  Hannah,  who  lent  her  children  to  the 
Lord  and  found  rich  blessing.  Very  happy 
too,  was  Mrs.  Carter  in  the  union  which 
God  had  formed  ;  for  I  believe  such  unions 
are  indeed  made  in  Heaven.  And  all  these 
years  the  sunshine  has  shone,  and  domes- 
tic love  and  peace  have  prevailed,  and  best 
of  all  the  dear  Master  has  been  one  of  their 
household. 

In  choosing  her  path  in  life,  she  did  not 
choose  one  that  led  her  out  into  the  public 


52  Mary  L.  Carter. 

eye.  Rather  did  she  choose  another  style 
of  service.  She  wrote  no  books,  figured 
not  much  in  a  public  capacity  in  the  service 
of  her  Master.  She  knew  well  the  deep, 
solemn,  sacred,  far-reaching  duties  that 
belong  to  the  wife-hood  and  the  Christian 
mother-hood.  She  had  gauged  rightly 
the  dimensions  of  the  Home  that  under- 
lies church  and  commonwealth  and  the 
welfare  of  the  Master's  Kingdom.  There- 
fore it  was  that  she  found  her  realm  here, 
and  her  most  sacred  and  sweetest  life- 
duties  were  performed  here.  She  looked 
well  to  the  ways  of  her  household ;  she 
reared  up  her  children  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord. 

She  found  her  empire  here  among  her 
own  family,  an  empire  of  love.  And  she 
chose  wisely.  It  could  be  said  of  this  Mary 
as  was  said  by  the  Master  of  another  in 
olden  days  :  "  Mary  has  chosen  the  good 
part  that  shall  never  be  taken  from  her,"  and 
she  found  her  rich  and  blessed  reward  in 
all  the  joys  that  a  hallowed  and  holy  home 


Last  Tributes.  53 

life  brings,  joys  in  a  life  never  marred  for 
one  moment  by  him  who  made  her  a  part 
of  his  very  self.  Great  reward  reaped  she 
as  a  parent  in  rearing  up  a  group  of  sons 
and  daughters  of  whom  any  parent  in  this 
world  might  well  be  proud. 

And  now  it  seems  to  me  that  this  is  not 
a  complete  bereavement.  She  still  lives 
—  lives  in  these  beloved  children,  born  of 
her,  trained  by  her,  consecrated  by  her  to 
the  Master,  bearing  her  blood  and  to  a 
great  degree  her  image.  She  lives  in 
them,  through  them  and  by  them  so  that 
when  my  dear  brother  looks  on  them  day 
by  day,  and  receives  night  after  night  the 
good-night  kiss,  he  will  feel  as  if  somehow 
it  was  the  mother's  face  and  the  mother's 
lips  that  were  speaking  and  embracing. 
Thank  God  for  faithful  mothers  ! 

And  in  another  sense,  still  more  subhme, 
she  lives.  Never  more  than  at  this  ver)'- 
hour.  To  be  sure  the  form  slumbers,  con- 
cealed in  the  casket  among  this  company 
that  gathers  around.     To  be  sure  the  lips 


54  Mary  L.  Carter. 

that  spoke  hospitable  welcome  to  us  so 
often  are  silent.  To  be  sure  the  busy 
hands,  busy  in  all  services  of  wifely  and 
motherly  love,  repose  at  her  side  un- 
moving,  but  the  everlasting  life  begun  at 
the  cross  of  Christ  has  simply  passed  over 
by  the  wonderful  transition  which  we  can- 
not fathom,  from  this  world  into  the  better ; 
for  there  is  perfect  continuity,  bear  in 
mind,  between  the  life  begun  here  in  Christ 
and  the  life  perfected  with  Christ.  For 
here  there  are  certain  imperfections  and 
certain  incompletenesses,  and  it  must  be 
so,  but  from  the  very  hour  that  the  mortal 
is  put  off  and  the  immortal  is  put  on,  from 
the  very  hour  that  the  atmosphere  of  this 
world,  with  whatever  it  has  of  trouble,  has 
been  left  behind,  and  the  soul,  redeemed, 
passes  into  the  glorious  atmosphere  of 
Heaven,  then  life  comes  in  its  indescribable 
abundance,  its  exceeding  weight  of  glory. 
And  now  into  that  life  in  its  completeness 
and  its  fulness  our  dear  friend  and  sister  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  passed  within 
the  last  few  hours. 


Last  Tributes.  55 

It  was  a  slow,  steady  transition.  For 
many  months  it  has  been  gradually  draw- 
ing nearer  to  the  end.  Christiana  sur- 
rounded by  her  children,  moving  on 
toward  the  Celestial  City,  happy  in  their 
love,  watched  over,  tenderly  cared  for,  she 
passed  along  through  the  Beulah  Land  of 
her  pilgrimage.  Without  any  fear,  with- 
out any  doubt,  in  the  sunshine  of  the 
Master,  surrounded  by  everything  that 
love  can  bestow,  she  came  at  last  to  the 
unbridged  river,  and  the  waves  were  parted 
before  her  steps,  and  she  has  gone  in  to 
that  Home,  of  which,  if  we  could  see  what 
she  has  already  seen,  we  would  wish  our- 
selves among  them. 

Now  that  she  has  passed  into  this  blessed 
life  everlasting,  into  the  joy  and  glory  of  her 
Master's  presence,  there  is  only  left  behind 
her  silent,  slumbering  form.  What  the 
Apostle  calls  the  "  tent "  which  the  spirit 
casts  off  when  it  ascends  into  the  presence 
of  the  Glorious  King  on  high.  And  ere 
long  you  will  take  up  this  form,  and  gently 


56  Mary  L.  Carter. 

and  lovingly  bear  her  away  from  the  home 
she  loved  to  that  silent  spot,  just  such  a 
spot  as  her  Master,  and  your  and  my 
Master,  rested  in,  that  he  might  conquer 
the  grave  and  become  the  first-fruits  of  all 
that  sleep.  So  has  God  given  His  beloved 
sleep,  and  today  we  may  all  say :  — 

"  Sleep  on,  beloved,  now  and  take  thy  rest ; 
Lay  down  thy  head  upon  thy  Saviour's  breast ; 
We  loved  thee  well,  but  Jesus  loves  thee  best ; 
Good-night!     Good-night! 

"  Calm  is  thy  slumber  as  an  infant's  sleep; 
But  thou  shalt  wake  no  more  to  toil  and  weep : 
Thine  is  a  perfect  rest,  secure  and  deep  ; 
Good-night !     Good-night ! 

"  Until  made  beautiful  by  Love  Divine, 
Thou,  in  the  likeness  of  thy  Lord  shalt  shine, 
And  He  shall  bring  that  golden  crown  of  thine, 
Good-night !     Good-night ! 

"Only  'Good-night,'  beloved,  not  'farewell ! ' 
A  little  while,  and  all  His  saints  shall  dwell 
In  hallowed  union  indivisible, 

Good-night !     Good-night ! 


Last  Tributes,  57 

"Until  we  meet  again  before  His  throne, 
Clothed  in  the  spotless  robe  He  gives  His  own, 
Until  we  know  even  as  we  are  known, 
Good-night !     Good-night ! " 


Dr.  George  Alexander  said  :  — 

It  would  better  accord  with  the  feelings 
of  my  heart  to  take  my  place  with  those 
who  sit  in  silence,  communing  with  their 
own  thoughts,  meditating  on  their  great 
loss,  and  suffering  the  tide  of  grateful  and 
sorrowful  emotion  to  surge  over  them. 

I  first  knew  our  dear  friend  as  a  bride. 
In  those  dear  old  days,  I  was  led,  a  bare- 
foot boy,  to  see  and  admire  the  young 
wife  of  my  mother's  dearest  friend.  In 
later  years  it  has  been  my  frequent  privi- 
lege to  be  admitted  to  the  household  over 
which  she  presided.  Love  for  that  house- 
hold, and  sympathy  for  them  in  their 
unmeasured  loss  has  brought  me  here 
to-day. 

It  has  not  been  my  lot  to  see  her  while 
walking  through  that  Beulah  land,  where 


58  Mary  L.  Carter. 

the  shining  ones  come  forth  to  meet  the 
pilgrims  toward  the  Celestial  City.  In  my 
memory  she  must  ever  be,  not  the  patient 
sufferer,  blessing  the  chastening  hand  of 
her  Heavenly  Father,  but  the  very  embodi- 
ment of  health  and  gladness.  I  think  of 
her  first  and  chiefly  as  the  Christian  home- 
maker,  investing  her  home  with  the  joy 
and  the  heavenly  charm  which  should 
ever  be  the  heritage  of  the  godly,  the 
familiar  friend  of  her  children,  and  the  one 
in  whom  the  heart  of  her  husband  did 
safely  trust. 

How  wide-reaching  has  been  her  influ- 
ence !  With  what  beauty  and  grace  she 
filled  her  station,  and  did  her  work  !  Her 
children,  to  whom  she  made  the  way  of 
godliness  supremely  attractive,  rise  up 
today  and  call  her  blessed.  "Whether 
mingling  their  tears  in  this  presence,  or,  in 
the  far  East,  exposed  to  the  perils  of  Mos- 
lem fanaticism,  they  hold  in  their  hearts, 
along  with  the  image  of  their  Saviour, 
the  image  of  a  mother  who  is  now  rejoic- 


The  Prayer.  59 

ing  in  the  beatific  vision,  and  find  a  new 
and  precious  meaning  in  those  familiar 
words  of  comfort,  "  In  my  Father's  house 

are  many  mansions I  go  to  prepare 

a  place  for  you." 

The  Prayer  by  Dr.  Dickson. 

Our  Father  who  art  in  Heaven  :  If  we 
had  six  v^ings  like  the  Seraphim,  with 
twain  we  would  cover  our  face,  with  twain 
we  would  cover  our  feet,  and  with  twain 
we  would  fly  into  Thy  bosom,  for  Thou 
art  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present 
help  in  trouble.  But  we  have  no  wings, 
as  yet,  and  we  cannot  fly.  We  cannot 
even  come  to  Thee  except  Thou  shalt 
draw  us.  Draw  us  now  to  Thyself  by  the 
cords  of  Thy  best  love  and  by  this  great 
bereavement.  Draw  us  nearer  to  Thy  side 
than  we  have  ever  been  before,  and  let  us 
lie  down,  in  love's  own  place  on  Thy  breast, 
so  that  we  shall  feel  Thy  gentle  heart  beat- 
ing responsive  to  our  own,  and  Thou  shalt 
hear  the  breathing  of   our  desires,  which 


6o  Mary  L.  Carter. 

neither  speech  nor  language  can  express. 
In  the  heart  of  our  hearts  sorrow  and  joy 
are  striving  together  for  the  mastery.  Let 
it  please  Thee,  while  we  are  yet  speaking, 
to  grant  us  so  much  of  Thy  sweet  mercy 
and  grace,  that  the  sorrow  shall  fly  away 
and  only  joy  be  left ;  and  in  the  multitude 
of  our  thoughts  within  us  may  Thy  com- 
forts delight  our  souls. 

Hear  our  prayer,  O  Lord,  and  give  ear 
unto  our  cry ;  hold  not  Thy  peace  at  our 
tears ;  for  we  are  strangers  with  Thee  and 
sojourners,  as  all  our  fathers  were.  Pass- 
ing through  this  wilderness,  to  the  better 
country,  we  have  come  to  our  Marah,  and 
the  waters  are  so  bitter  that  we  cannot 
drink  them.  In  answer  to  our  earnest  and 
united  request  show  us  the  tree,  which 
when  cast  into  the  waters,  the  waters  shall 
be  made  sweet.  We  are  come  to  our  juni- 
per bush,  and  like  Thy  servant  of  old  time 
we  are  prostrated  with  overmuch  sorrow, 
and  greatly  discouraged  because  of  the 
way.     Hear  Thou  the  voice  of  our  affliction 


The  Prayer.  6i 

and  speak  to  the  angel  who  knows  the  way 
hither;  command  him  to  make  haste,  and 
fly  away  swiftly  to  us,  bringing  with  him  a 
cruse  of  water,  fresh  dipped  from  the  river, 
clear  as  crystal,  for  us,  and  with  his  shin- 
ing: hand  to  kindle  another  fire  of  coals  and 
bake  another  cake  for  us,  and  then  to 
touch  us  once  and  again,  saying,  "  Arise 
and  eat,  because  the  journey  is  too  great 
for  thee:"  and  in  the  strength  of  Thy 
timely  repast  may  we  rise  up  and  go  on 
our  way,  sorrowful  yet  always  rejoicing,  till 
we  reach  the  mount  of  God  in  heaven. 

Almighty  and  most  merciful  Father ;  we 
remember  all  the  way  which  Thou  hast  led 
us  these  forty  years,  and  this  is  the  most 
dreadful  place;  this  is  our  Gethsemane; 
and  this  is  our  Gethsemane  prayer,  O  our 
Father,  if  this  cup  may  not  pass  away  from 
us,  except  we  drink  it,  Thy  will  be  done. 
Send  down  to  us  the  Gethsemane  angel, 
who  ministered  strength  and  comfort  to 
Thy  dear  Son,  our  Saviour,  that  he  may 
help  us  also,  saying,  "  This  is  the  cup  thy 


62  Mary  L.  Carter. 

Father  hath  given  thee  to  drink ;  drink 
more  of  it  ;  drink  all  of  it."  Blessed  be 
thy  name  though  the  cup  be  bitter,  it  is 
not  bottomless,  and  as  we  lift  it  to  our 
quivering  lips  by  the  transforming  power 
of  Thy  love,  let  it  be  changed  into  a  cup 
of  blessing. 

Dear  Lord  Jesus,  we  must  come  to  Thee 
thyself  for  Thou  art  the  brother  born  for 
adversity ;  our  own  best  brother,  whom 
bereavement  brings  to  better  view ;  a  sub- 
stitute for  all  when  all  is  gone ;  all  without 
all,  as  well  as  all  in  all.  Whom  have  we 
in  Heaven  but  Thee,  and  there  is  none 
upon  earth  that  we  desire  besides  thee. 
Oh,  magnify  Thy  merciful  kindness  to  us 
and  make  this  hour  of  darkness  the  begin- 
ning of  the  beatific  vision.  As  the  Son  of 
God  Thou  art  able  to  do  for  us  exceeding 
abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think, 
and  as  the  Son  of  Man  and  a  man  of 
sorrows  Thou  canst  sympathize  with  us  in 
all  our  afflictions.  Let  it  please  Thee  to 
have  pity  upon  us  and  save  us  out  of  all 


The  Prayer.  63 

our  troubles.     We   rejoice   to   know   that 
when  hanging  on  the  cross  for  us  Thy  last 
thoughts  were  concerning  Thy  mother,  and 
Thy   last   words   were   addressed  to   Thy 
mother,  providing    a  son  and  a  home  for 
her  when  the  sword  was  piercing  through 
her  soul;  and   knowing  the  strength  and 
sweetness  of  a  mother's  love,  and  knowing 
how  hard  it  is  to  part  with  one  so  near  and 
dear,  let  Thy  divine  and  human  compassion 
be  lavished  on  these  motherless  children. 
Behold,  and  bless  them    every   one.     Re- 
member the  first-born  who,  following  her 
loving  heart,  left  her  husband  and  children 
to  take  care  of  themselves,  and  came  home 
that  she   might  be   an   angel  of  blessing 
to  her  mother  during  her  last  days,  when 
she  was  watching  and  praying  and  patiently 
waiting  for  the  love-paved  chariot  to  come 
and  take  her  away  out  of  all  tribulation. 
May  the  same  benediction  abide  with  her 
sisters  who  are  here  present  and  with  all 
their    children  ;    cover     them    with    Thy 
feathers,  comfort  them  with  Thy  love,  and 


64  Mary  L.  Carter. 

may  they  always  have  the  good-will  of  Him 
that  dwelt  in  the  bush.  Bless  these 
brothers  who  are  bowed  down,  heavily 
mourning  for  their  mother;  bring  them 
into  the  secret  of  Thy  presence,  and  keep 
them  there.  Lay  both  Thy  hands  upon 
their  heads  and  so  bless  them  that  they 
shall  be  a  blessing.  We  cannot  forget  the 
youngest  sister,  who,  when  she  went  to 
the  heathen,  took  all  her  heart  away  with 
her,  and  left  it  all  at  home.  In  the  arms 
of  our  faith  and  love  we  would  lift  her  up 
out  of  the  darkness  into  the  brightest 
light  of  Thy  smiling  face.  Speak  one  word 
to  her ;  say  unto  her,  "  Mary,"  and  may 
she  be  able  to  respond  right  heartily,  say- 
ing, "Rabboni,  which  is  to  say  Master," 
which  is  to  say  my  master.  Hold  her  in 
the  hollow  of  Thy  hand ;  keep  her  as  the 
apple  of  Thine  eye;  hide  her  under  the 
shadow  of  Thy  wings.  O  Thou  who  savest 
by  Thy  right  hand  them  which  put  their 
trust  in  Thee  from  those  that  rise  up 
against  them,  show  Thy  marvellous  loving- 


The  Prayer.  65 

kindness  to  thine  own  dear  Mary,  and  all 
the  precious  members  of  her  family. 
Awake,  why  sleepest  Thou,  O  Lord  ?  Why 
withdrawest  Thou  Thy  hand,  even  Thy  right 
hand  ?  Pluck  it  out  of  Thy  bosom  for  their 
defence.  And  when  they  have  done  serv- 
ing Thee  for  love  of  Thee,  bring  them  to 
Thine  everlasting  kingdom. 

Dearest  Lord  Jesus,  in  our  message  to 
Thy  mercy  seat  the  last  shall  be  first. 
Look  down  in  tenderest  love  and  pity  upon 
Thy  servant  whose  heart  is  in  the  casket 
here  with  his  beloved;  and  who  is  left 
so  lonely  and  desolate  and  sad.  We  praise 
Thee  that  he  had  such  a  loving  wife  so 
long,  that  he  was  not  called  to  part  with 
her  till  he  was  drawing  so  near  the  lifted 
gates  of  the  Lamb-lit  city,  that  the  light 
thereof  came  shining  through  them  to 
beautify  his  gray  hairs  which  are  a  crown 
of  glory  because  they  are  found  in  the  way 
of  righteousness.  Permit  him  to  lean  on 
the  arm  of  Thine  almightiness  till  the 
twain  shall  be  one  again  in  the  home  that 


66  Mary  L.  Carter. 

shall  never  be  left  desolate,  and  where 
death-divided  friends  shall  meet  to  part  no 
more. 

In  the  greatness  of  our  grief  we  give 
Thee  glory  in  the  highest  for  the  life  of 
thine  handmaid.  We  thank  Thee  that 
she  was  such  a  beautiful  Christian,  adorn- 
ing the  doctrine  of  God,  her  Saviour,  in 
all  things.  We  bless  Thee  that  she  was 
more  and  better  than  a  good  Samaritan 
in  this  community,  as  she  went  about 
through  these  highways  and  byways  pour- 
ing the  oil  and  wine  of  love  human  and 
divine  into  hearts  wounded  by  sin  and 
sorrow.  Especially  would  we  magnify  Thy 
name,  that  having  loved  Thee  all  her  life 
with  all  her  heart,  and  having  served  Thee 
all  her  life  for  love,  she  is  still  loving  and 
serving  Thee  in  love's  own  country,  where 
the  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I  am  sick ; 
neither  can  they  die  any  more,  for  they 
are  equal  unto  the  angels. 

We  cannot  forget  to  thank,  Thee,  O  Lord 
our  Lord,  for  what  this  mother  in  Israel 


The  Prayer.  67 

was  to  us ;  for  the  heart  she  carried  in  her 
hand  to  us;  for  the  sweet  smile  and  the 
holy  kiss  with  which  she  always  greeted 
us  ;  and  the  loving  hospitality  with  which 
she  entertained  us.  Glory  be  to  the 
Father,  when  we  were  strangers  she  took 
us  in,  and  made  us  members  of  her 
family. 

Jesus  Master,  be  not  angry  with  us,  and 
we  will  make  one  more  request.  We  do 
not  know  what  holy  service  this  mother 
may  have  in  Heaven,  but  if  she  may  be  ex- 
cused, and  if  it  may  please  Thee,  send  her 
down  to  be  the  guardian  angel  of  her 
missionary  daughter,  who  is  in  perils  by  the 
heathen.  And  though  a  thousand  may 
fall  at  her  side,  and  ten  thousand  at  her 
right  hand,  let  no  evil  come  nigh  her. 
And,  when  a  few  more  bitter  cups  and 
cups  of  blessing  have  been  given  her  to 
drink,  may  she  be  caught  up  to  Paradise  to 
learn  more  of  Thy  love  from  Thine  own 
lips  which  are  like  lilies  dropping  sweet 
smelling    myrrh.      And    unto    the    King 


68  Mary  L.  Carter. 

eternal,  immortal,  invisible,  the  only  wise 
God,  and  our  own  God,  and  our  exceeding 
joy  shall  be  all  the  glory,  world  without 
end.     Amen. 


AT  THE  PARTING. 

SELECTIONS    REPEATED   TO   THE   FAMILY   BY 
DR.  DICKSON. 

Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field  how  they 
grow ;  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin ; 
and  yet  I  say  unto  you.  That  even  Solomon 
in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of 
these.  I  am  the  Rose  of  Sharon,  and  the 
lily  of  the  valleys.  As  the  lily  among 
thorns,  so  is  my  love  among  the  daughters. 
My  beloved  is  gone  down  into  his  garden, 
to  the  beds  of  spices,  to  feed  in  the  gardens, 
and  to  gather  lilies. 

Hearken,  O  daughter,  and  consider,  and 
incline  thine  ear;  forget  also  thine  own 
people,    and   thy  father's  house ;   so   shall 


Selections.  69 

the  King  greatly  desire  thy  beauty  ;  for 
He  is  thy  Lord  ;  and  worship  thou  Him. 
The  King's  daughter  is  all  glorious  within  ; 
her  clothing  is  of  wrought  gold.  She 
shall  be  brought  unto  the  King  in  raiment 
of  needlework  ;  the  virgins  her  companions 
that  follow  her  shall  be  brought  unto  thee. 
With  gladness  and  rejoicing  shall  they  be 
brought ;  they  shall  enter  into  the  King's 
palace. 

I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great 
multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters 
and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings, 
saying,  Alleluia ;  for  the  Lord  God  om- 
nipotent reigneth.  Let  us  be  glad  and 
rejoice,  and  give  honour  to  Him  ;  for  the 
marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  His 
wife  hath  made  herself  ready.  And  to  her 
it  was  granted  that  she  should  be  arrayed 
in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white:  for  the  fine 
linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints.  And 
He  saith  unto  me,  write,  Blessed  are  they 
which  are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper 
of  the  Lamb. 


70  Mary  L.  Carter. 

The  voice  of  my  'Beloved  !  behold  He 
Cometh  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skip- 
ping upon  the  hills.  My  Beloved  is  like  a 
roe,  or  a  young  hart;  behold  He  standeth 
behind  our  wall,  He  looketh  forth  at  the 
windows,  showing  Himself  through  the 
lattice.  My  Beloved  spake,  and  said  unto 
me,  Rise  up,  my  love,  my  fair  one,  and 
come  away.  For  lo,  the  winter  is  past, 
the  rain  is  over  and  gone ;  the  flowers 
appear  on  the  earth  ;  the  time  of  the  singing 
of  birds  is  come,  and  the  voice  of  the  turtle 
is  heard  in  our  land  ;  the  fig-tree  putteth 
forth  her  green  figs,  and  the  vines  with  the 
tender  grape  give  a  good  smell.  Arise,  my 
love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away. 

I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the 
time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  I  am  in 
a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to  de- 
part and  to  be  with  Christ  which  is  far 
better.  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  Thy  servant 
depart  in  peace,  according  to  Thy  word  for 
mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salvation.  For  to 
me  to  live  is  Christ  and  to  die  is  gain. 


Selections.  71 

The  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me, 
saying,  Son  of  man,  behold,  I  take  away 
from  thee  the  desire  of  thine  eyes  with  a 
stroke  ;  yet  neither  shalt  thou  mourn  nor 
weep,  neither  shall  thy  tears  run  down. 
Forbear  to  cry,  make  no  mourning  for  the 
dead.  For  so  He  giveth  His  beloved 
sleep.  But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ig- 
norant, brethren,  concerning  them  which 
are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as 
others  which  have  no  hope.  For. if  we 
believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again, 
even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus 
will  God  bring  with  Him.  For  this  we  say 
unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  we 
which  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  com- 
ing of  the  Lord  shall  not  prevent  them 
which  are  asleep.  For  the  Lord  himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout, 
with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with 
the  trump  of  God ;  and  the  dead  in  Christ 
shall  rise  first ;  then  we  which  are  alive 
and  remain  shall  be  caught  up  together 
with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord 


72  Mary  L.  Carter. 

in  the  air ;  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with 
the  Lord.  Wherefore,  comfort  one  an- 
other with  these  words. 

The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
the  Lord.  Trust  3^e  in  the  Lord  forever  ; 
for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting 
strength.  The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge, 
and  underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms. 
Now,.the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy 
and  peace  in  believing,  that  ye  may  abound 
in  hope,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 


AFTER  THE   PARTING. 

SELECTIONS  REPEATED  BY  DR.  DICKSON. 

Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
Christ }  Shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or 
persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or 
peril,   or  sword }     As    it    is   written,   For 


Selections.  73 

thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long ; 
we  are  accounted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter. 
Nay  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than 
conquerors,  through  Him  that  loved  us. 
For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death 
nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things 
to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate 
u^  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord. 

I  know,  O  Lord,  that  Thy  judgements 
are  right,  and  that  Thou  in  faithfulness 
hast  afflicted  me.  I  know  that  my  Re- 
deemer liveth,  and  that  He  shall  stand  at 
the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  ;  and  though 
after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body, 
yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God  ;  whom  I 
shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall 
behold,  and  not  another.  We  know  that 
if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were 
dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  an 
house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 


74  Mary  L.  Carter. 

Heavens.  We  know  that  all  things  work 
together  for  good,  to  them  that  love  God, 
to  them  that  are  called  according  to  His 
purpose.  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of 
God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be  ;  but  we  know  that,  when  He  shall 
appear,  we  shall  be  like  Him  ;  for  we  shall 
see  Him  as  He  is. 

I  heard  a  voice  from  Heaven  sayirjg 
unto  me.  Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead 
which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth : 
Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest 
from  their  labours ;  and  their  works  do 
follow  them.  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his 
commandments,  that  they  may  have  right 
to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  the  city.  Blessed  are  the 
pure  in  heart ;  for  they  shall  see  God. 
They  shall  see  His  face  ;  and  His  name 
shall  be  in  their  foreheads.  Blessed  are 
they  that  mourn  ;  for  they  shall  be  com- 
forted. 


Selections.  75 

The  Lord  is  my  shepherd  ;  I  shall  -not 
want.  He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green 
pastures  ;  He  leadeth  me  beside  the  still 
waters.  He  restoreth  my  soul ;  He  lead- 
eth me  in  the  paths  of  righteousness  for 
His  name's  sake.  Yea,  though  I  walk 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death, 
I  will  fear  no  evil ;  for  thou  art  with  me ; 
Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff  they  comfort  me. 
Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me  in  the 
presence  of  mine  enemies ;  Thou  anointest 
my  head  with  oil;  my  cup  runneth  over. 
Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow 
me  all  the  days  of  my  life  ;  and  I  will  dwell 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  forever. 

I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills, 
from  whence  cometh  my  help.  My  help 
Cometh  from  the  Lord,  which  made  Heaven 
and  earth.  He  will  not  suffer  thy  foot  to 
be  moved ;  He  that  keepeth  thee  will  not 
slumber.  Behold,  He  that  keepeth  Israel 
shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep.  The  Lord 
is  thy  keeper ;  The  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon 


76  Mary  L.   Carter. 

thy  right  hand.  The  sun  shall  not  smite 
thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night.  The 
Lord  shall  preserve  thee  from  all  evil ;  He 
shall  preserve  thy  soul.  The  Lord  shall  pre- 
serve thy  going  out  and  thy  coming  in  from 
this  time  forth,  and  even  for  evermore. 

It  was  now  dark,  and  Jesus  was  not 
come  to  them.  And  the  sea  arose  by  rea- 
son of  a  great  wind  that  blew.  The  ship 
was  now  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  tossed 
with  waves ;  for  the  wind  was  contrary. 
And  in  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night  Jesus 
went  unto  them,  walking  on  the  sea.  And 
immediately  He  talked  with  them,  and 
saith  unto  them.  Be  of  good  cheer ;  it  is  I ; 
be  not  afraid.  Then  they  willingly  re- 
ceived Him  into  the  ship ;  and  immedi- 
ately they  were  at  the  land  whither  they 
went. 

When  the  great  storm  came  it  was 
night ;  and  the  night  was  dark ;  and  the 
disciples  were  in  the  midst  of  the  sea; 
about  three  miles  from  either  shore;  and 


Words  at  the  Grave,  77 

the  wind  was  contrary,  and  should  have 
driven  them  back  to  the  land  whence  they 
sailed ;  but  strange  to  say  it  carried  them 
quickly  into  the  port  whither  they  were 
bound.  Immediately  they  were  at  the 
land  whither  they  went.  So  He  bringeth 
them  unto  their  desired  haven.  So  He 
bringeth  us  unto  our  desired  haven. 
Arise,  let  us  go  hence. 


The  interment  took  place  on  Wednes- 
day, November  20th.  Many  followed  the 
dear  body  to  its  last  resting  place  in  Wood- 
lawn  Cemetery,  where  it  was  lovingly  laid 
beside  those  of  her  three  little  children, 
her  father,  mother  and  sisters,  till  the  Lord 
comes  again  ;  when  "  the  dead  in  Christ 
shall  rise  first." 

The  following  words  were  said  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Dickson  at  the  grave :  — 

That  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quick- 
ened except  it  die.     It  is  sown  a  natural 


y8  Mary  L.  Carter. 

body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body.  Ex- 
cept a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  tire  ground 
and  die,  it  abideth  alone ;  but  if  it  die  it 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit.  It  is  sown  in 
dishonour,  it  is  raised  in  glory.  And  as 
we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we 
shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly. 

Unveil  thy  bosom,  faithful  tomb  ! 

Take  this  new  treasure  to  thy  trust ; 
And  give  these  sacred  relics  room 

To  seek  a  slumber  in  the  dust. 

Nor  pain,  nor  grief,  nor  anxious  fear, 
Invade  thy  bounds  :  no  mortal  woes 

Can  reach  the  lovely  sleeper  here, 
And  angels  watch  her  soft  repose. 

So  Jesus  slept:  God's  dying  son 

Passed  through  the  grave  and  blessed  the 
bed. 

Rest  here,  fair  saint,  till  from  His  throne 
The  morning  break,  and  pierce  the  shade. 

Break  from  His  throne,  illustrious  morn  ! 

Attend,  O  earth.  His  sovereign  word  I 
Restore  thy  trust,  O  glorious  form  ! 

She  must  ascend  to  meet  her  Lord. 


Words  at  the  Grave.  79 

My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  His ;  He 
feedeth  among  the  lilies.  Behold  thou 
art  fair  my  Beloved,  yea,  pleasant  ;  also 
our  bed  is  green.  His  left  hand  is  under 
my  head,  and  His  right  hand  doth  embrace 
me  ;  For  so  He  giveth  His  beloved  sleep. 

Jesus  said  unto  her,  I  am  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  the  life ;  he  that  believeth  in  me, 
though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live; 
and  whosoever  liveth,  and  believeth  in  me 
shall  never  die.  Jesus  saith  unto  her, 
Mary.  She  turned  herself,  and  saith  unto 
Him,  Rabboni,  which  is  to  say  Master. 

Mary,  the  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep 
thee.  The  Lord  make  His  face  to  shine 
upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto  thee. 
The  Lord  lift  up  His  countenance  upon 
thee,  and  give  thee  peace. 

Dearest  sister,  sweetest  lover,  divinest 
mother,  thou  hast  been  our  morning  angel, 
our  midday  angel,  and  our  midnight  angel, 
making  our  home  more  like  Heaven,  by 
thy  sweet  presence  here,  henceforth  thou 
shalt  make  our  Heaven   more  like  home. 


8o  Mary  L.  Carter. 

by  thy  sweet  presence  there.  Patiently, 
prayerfully,  hopefully  thou  hast  passed 
through  all  thy  toilsome  days  and  weari- 
some nights,  now  rest  in  peace,  and  may 
thy  rest  be  glorious.  We  praise  God  for 
thee,  and  for  thy  lovely  lamb-like  life  ;  and 
we  hope  to  praise  God  with  thee,  when 
Jesus  comes ;  till  then  farewell. 

Let  us  Pray. 

Jesus  Master,  who  was  dead  and  is  alive 
for  evermore,  we  commit  to  Thee  Thyself 
this  body,  which  was  made  by  Thee,  and 
redeemed  by  Thee,  and  is  still  united  to 
Thee.  Come  Thou  to  Thy  consecrated 
parcel  of  ground,  and  with  the  keys  hang- 
ing at  thy  girdle,  lock  this  precious  treasure 
in  this  place  of  peaceful  rest ;  and  let 
Thine  eyes  and  Thine  heart  be  over  this 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  till  it  shall  be 
built  again.  Before  we  depart  hence,  and 
while  we  are  yet  speaking,  according  to 
thy  promise,  hear  our  prayer,  and  send 
hither  all  the  angels  of  the   sepulcher  — 


Words  at  the  Grave.  8 1 

the  twain  that  sat  as  sentinels,  one  at  Thy 
head  and  the  other  at  Thy  feet,  when  Thou 
wast  sleeping  in  the  grave  for  us.  Send 
also  the  angel  who  rolled  away  the  stone 
for  Thee  ;  and  Michael,  the  archangel,  who 
contended  for  the  body  of  Moses  ;  that  to- 
gether they  may  watch,  and  guard,  and  keep 
and  if  need  be  defend  this  blood-bought, 
blood-washed  body  of  Thy  bride,  till  Thou 
shalt  come  again  and  she  shall  live  again 
in  the  likeness  of  Thine  own  glorious  body. 
And  in  that  day  when  she  shall  put  off 
these  ashen  robes  and  put  on  the  wedding 
garment,  and  rise  to  the  marriage  mansion 
and  the  marriage  supper,  let  there  be  no 
strife  between  these  ministering  spirits, 
which  of  them  shall  have  the  honour  and 
the  pleasure  of  presenting  her  at  the  Court 
of  Heaven,  where  she  shall  see  the  King  in 
His  beauty,  and  be  crowned  by  Him  the 
Queen  in  gold  of  Ophir.  And  to  Thy 
dear  name,  dearest,  sweetest,  kindest  Lord 
shall  be  all  the  glory,  world  without  end. 

Amen. 

6 


82  Mary  L.  Carter. 

It  never  can  be  wrong  to  do  as  Jesus 
did,  and  as  He  sometimes  called  His 
friends  by  name,  I  will  follow  His  example 
in  closing  these  sacred  services. 

Nannie :  Wait  on  the  Lord  ;  be  of  good 
courage,  and  He  shall  strengthen  thine 
heart  ;  wait  I  say  on  the  Lord.  For  the 
Lord  thy  God,  He  it  is  that  doth  go  with 
thee.  He  will  not  fail  thee  nor  forsake  thee. 
•  Fannie  :  Fear  thou  not  ;  for  I  am  with 
thee  ;  be  not  dismayed  ;  for  I  am  thy  God ; 
I  will  strengthen  thee :  yea,  I  will  help 
thee  ;  yea  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right 
hand  of  my  righteousness.  I  will  never 
leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee. 

Nellie :  I  know  thee  by  name,  and  thou 
hast  also  found  grace  in  my  sight.  The 
mountains  shall  depart  and  the  hills  be  re- 
moved ;  but  my  kindness  shall  not  depart 
from  thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of 
my  peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that 
hath  mercy  on  thee.  Behold,  I  have 
graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  my  hands. 

Jesse:  My  son,  hear  the  instruction  of 


Words  at  the  Grave.  83 

thy  father,  and  forsake  not  the  law  of  thy 
mother ;  for  they  shall  be  an  ornament  of 
grace  unto  thy  head  and  chains  about  thy 
neck.  When  thou  goest,  it  shall  lead 
thee;  when  thou  sleepest,  it  shall  keep 
thee ;  and  when  thou  awakest,  it  shall  talk 
with  thee. 

Douglas :  He  that  loveth  father  or 
mother  more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me. 
I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless  ;  I  will 
come  to  you.  As  one  whom  his  mother 
comforteth  so  will  I  comfort  you  and  ye 
shall  be  comforted.  Cast  thy  burden  upon 
the  Lord,  and  He  shall  sustain  thee. 

There  remaineth  yet  the  youngest 
daughter  ;  her  mother's  namesake,  so  far 
away  and  yet  so  near  and  dear.  Jesus 
saith  unto  her,  Mary  :  I  have  called  thee 
by  thy  name,  thou  art  mine.  Thou  shalt 
not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night ;  nor 
for  the  arrow  that  flieth  by  day.  Because 
thou  hast  made  the  Lord  which  is  my 
refuge,  even  the  Most  High  thy  habitation, 
there   shall    no   evil    befall    thee,   neither 


84  Mary  L.  Carter, 

shall  any  plague  come  nigh  thy  dwelling. 
For  He  shall  give  His  angels  charge  over 
thee,  to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways. 

My  beloved  brother  Peter :  Let  not 
your  heart  be  troubled  :  ye  believe  in  God, 
believe  also  in  me.  In  my  Father's  house 
are  many  mansions  ;  if  it  were  not  so,  I 
would  have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a 
place  for  you.  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a 
place  for  you,  I  will  come  again  and  re- 
ceive you  unto  myself ;  that  where  I  am 
there  ye  may  be  also.  Peace  I  leave  with 
you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you.  Let  not 
your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be 
afraid. 

4 

The  Benediction. 


REMINISCENCES. 


"  IV e  shall  miss  thee  at  a  thousand  turns,  along  life's 

weary  track, 
Not  a  sorrow  or  a  joy,  hut  we  shall  long  to  call  thee  hack, 
Yearn  for  thy  true  and  gentle  heart,  long  thy  bright  smile 

to  see, 
For  many  dear  and  true  are  left,  but  none  are  quite  like 

thee." 


'T^HE  youngest  daughter,  Mary  Carter 
•^  Dodd,  now  a  missionary  of  the 
American  Board  in  Turkey,  writes  thus  :  — 
It  is  such  a  pleasure  for  me  to  give 
some  of  my  memories  of  my  precious 
mother.  I  love  to  live  over  again  in 
thought  the  good  old  days  when  we  were 
boys  and  girls  together  living  in  our 
father's  house. 

To  begin  with,  let  me  quote  the  words 
of  my  Armenian  nurse  girl  who  has  been 
with  me  eight  years,  and  who  went  with 
me  to  America  in  1890.  When  she  heard 
what  I  was  doing  she  said,  "  Write  love 
ilay  doloo  idi,"  (she  was  full  of  love.) 
She  was  certainly  a  very  loving  mother, 
ready  to  do  anything  for  her  children, 
planning  and  caring  for  them  in  her 
thoughtful  way. 


88  Mary  L.   Carter. 

It  seems  to  me  that  1  have  special  rea- 
son to  realize  this,  for  though  she  could 
not  run  in  and  help  mie  as  she  could  my 
sisters,  yet  she  was  always  planning  and 
thinking  of  my  comfort.  The  boxes  that 
have  come  so  regularly  every  two  months 
since  we  left  home,  and  which  have 
been  such  a  source  of  delight  to  us  all, 
were  always  filled  with  evidences  of  her 
love.  It  was  really  wonderful  to  me  how 
she  could  know  so  well  just  what  I  needed. 
It  almost  seemed  as  if  she  could  read  my 
thoughts.  A  month  ago,  when  I  was  laid 
aside  for  a  few  days  with  influenza,  I  wanted 
some  soft,  warm  slippers  for  my  feet.  Rum- 
maging in  the  boxes,  I  came  across  a  neat 
pair  of  gray  worsted  slippers.  Drawing 
them  on,  I  noticed  there  was  a  piece  of 
paper  in  one,  and  opening  it,  I  found  written 
on  it  ''from  mother."  That  was  only  one 
of  many  tokens  of  her  thoughtful,  constant 
love. 

Was  there  ever  such  a  neat  little  body 
as  our  mother  .?     From   the  crown  of  her 


Reminisce  Jtces.  89 

head  to  the  tips  of  her  toes  she  was  tidy 
and  trim.  As  for  her  house,  in  what  good 
order  it  was  kept.  We  girls  can  remember 
with  feelings  almost  of  awe,  her  beautiful 
dainty  bed,  with  its  spotless  cover.  No 
one  ever  made  it  but  herself,  and  we  would 
watch  her  as  she  smoothed  out,  patted 
down  and  pulled  things  into  shape.  We 
never  dared  lay  anything  on  its  immacu- 
late spread  and  to  play  on  it,  or  even 
to  lie  on  it,  would  have  been  considered 
sacrilege. 

What  great  care  she  took  of  the  old 
mahogany  furniture  that  had  been  handed 
down  for  several  generations.  As  I  re- 
member it,  it  never  showed  signs  of  wear 
though  in  constant  use. 

As  I  go  about  my  household  cares,  I 
often  think  how  mother  would  do  this  and 
that  piece  of  work.  How  many  times  I 
have  longed  to  have  her  come  in  and  in- 
spect my  house- keeping,  pointing  out  to 
me  my  faults  and  telling  me  how  I  might 
correct  them.     But  since  I  have  never  had 


90  Mary  L,   Carte7\ 

that  privilege,  I  can  only  try  to  do  what 
she  taught  me  to  when  I  was  a  girl. 

When  we  came  home  from  school,  when 
we  were  children,  our  first  question  was, 
"  Is  mamma  home  ?  "  and  she  was  gen- 
erally looking  out  for  us.  But  if  she  had 
to  be  away,  I  remember  how  empty  the 
house  seemed  to  us. 

We  cannot  any  of  us  forget  her  fond- 
ness for  her  flowers.  They  would  blossom 
when  those  in  other  people's  windows  only 
showed  leaves.  They  knew  she  loved 
them,  and  responded  to  her  tender  touch. 
The  flowers  in  the  windows  gave  a  touch 
of  brightness  to  the  otherwise  sombre 
brown  stone  house. 

One  of  the  happiest  times  of  the  day  to 
us  children  was  the  evening  hour  when  we 
were  waiting  for  father  to  come  home  to 
dinner.  Mother  would  light  the  front 
parlor  chandeliers  and  sit  down  to  the 
piano  to  play,  and  her  lively  music  would 
quickly  bring  us  around  her.  Favorite 
airs  were  called  for,  and  if  she  sang  there 


Reminiscences.  91 

was  always  a  hearty  chorus  from  us  chil- 
dren. If  any  of  us  were  drearily  studying 
upstairs,  when  we  heard  the  stirring  notes, 
down  would  go  books  and  papers  and 
away  we  flew  to  join  in  the  music.  We 
did  so  love  to  hear  her  play  !  She  played 
with  so  much  enthusiasm  and  enjoyment 
that  it  seemed  as  if  her  playing  must  be 
better  than  other  people's.  How  I  love 
to  read  over  the  Scottish  ballads  she  was 
so  fond  of  singing.  I  can  almost  hear 
her  voice  as  I  read,  and  the  songs  now 
seem  sacred  to  me  so  entirely  are  they  as- 
sociated with  her. 

Our  Sunday  evening  singing  hour  was 
always  so  enjoyable.  It  is  one  of  the 
pleasantest  memories  I  have  of  the  dear 
old  home  in  28th  street.  We  all  chose 
hymns  that  we  liked,  mother  usually  play- 
ing, but  as  we  grew  older,  we  were  allowed 
to  try  our  hand,  and  when  mistakes  were 
made  every  one  was  patient  and  not  over- 
critical.  Mother  enjoyed  it  as  much  as 
any  of  us. 


92  Mary  L.   Carter. 

Our  next  door  neighbors  used  to  say 
they  always  knew  when  we  were  at  dinner. 
One  evening  we  had  been  unusually  jolly 
when  mother  turning  around  to  a  dear 
friend  of  the  family,  who  was  visiting  us, 
said,  "  Doesn't  this  noise  make  you  crazy 

Dr. ?  "     When  the  unexpected  reply 

"Yes  ma'am,"  came,  mother  was  some- 
what chagrined  and  nonplussed.  But  the 
next  minute  she  was  reassured  when  her 
guest,  who  dearly  loved  a  joke,  burst  into 
a  hearty  laugh. 

Her  birthday  was  in  August,  and  we 
usually  made  quite  a  celebration  of  it. 
One  year  she  went  away  on  a  visit  the  day 
before  and  did  not  return  till  the  evening 
of  her  birthday,  so  that  the  day  was  not 
specially  marked.  Happening  to  discover 
the  next  day  that  she  had  missed  the  usual 
little  celebration,  we  determined  to  give 
her  a  surprise.  Accordingly  the  following 
afternoon  we  trimmed  the  dining  room 
with  flowers,  making  a  bovver  of  greens  at 
mother's    place    at    the   table   and   in    the 


Reminiscences.  93 

bower,  over  the  chair  was  hung  a  placard 
inscribed  "  In  honor  of  the  second  day 
after  the  anniversary  of  the  birthday  of  our 
mother,"  and  every  article  of  food  at  the 
table  was  labeled  in  the  same  way.  After 
the  blinds  were  tightly  closed  and  the  num- 
erous Japanese  lanterns  hanging  about  the 
room  were  Hghted  we  brought  mother  in 
and  she  was  greatly  surprised  and  very 
grateful  in  spite  of  the  extreme  heat  of 
the  shut-up  room  and  the  rather  prickly 
nature  of  her  bower. 

We  always  loved  to  have  mother  go 
away  visiting  or  see  any  sights  for  when 
she  came  home  she  had  so  much  to  tell. 
She  had  such  sharp  eyes  she  saw  every- 
thing that  went  on  around  her,  nothing  es- 
caped her  and  she  would  relate  it  all  in 
such  a  graphic,  breezy  way.  There  was 
only  one  draw-back  to  her  visiting  in  our 
childish  eyes.  *  She  would  always  bring 
back  such  glowing  accounts  of  the  be- 
havior of  the  small  girls  and  boys  where 
she  visited  and  hold  them  up  to  us  as  such 


94  Mary  L.   Carter. 

bright  examples  that  we  fairly  loathed  them 
and  were  ready  to  declare  that  we  could 
not  let  her  go  away  again. 

I  can  never  forget  the  trouble  she  took 
in  shopping  with  me  before  my  wedding. 
How  many  hours  she  spent  with  me  tramp- 
ing from  store  to  store.  No  trouble  was 
too  great  for  her.  She  even  marked  with 
her  own  hand,  all  my  table  linen,  bed-linen 
and  underclothing,  no  small  item  of  itself. 
Now  I  constantly  come  across  her  writing 
on  my  household  things. 

The  last  time  I  was  home,  when  my 
little  baby,  Nellie,  was  so  ill,  I  never  can 
cease  from  being  grateful  to  her  for  all  the 
care  she  took  of  her.  She  seemed  to  feel  a 
personal  responsibility  for  her,  and  worked 
over  her  constantly.  How  relieved  she 
was  when  she  began  to  improve. 

Her  sister,  Mrs.  Knapp,  writes  the  fol- 
lowing: — 

Among  my  first  recollections  of  Mary 
was  her  wedding  day  and  seeing  her  hus- 


Remmiscences,  95 

band  and  herself  receive  the  congratula- 
tions of  their  friends.  She  was  the  first 
daughter  to  leave  home,  and  accordingly 
her  little  romance  made  a  deep  impression 
on  the  minds  of  her  little  sisters. 

When  the  new  home  was  set  up  and  the 
furnishing  began,  it  was  all  so  interesting. 
The  book-case  in  the  parlor  contained  the 
"Arabian  Nights'  Entertainments,"  and 
this  made  Mary's  house  very  attractive  to 
me.  I  spent  all  my  Saturday  afternoons 
there  reading. 

It  was  at  her  house  that  I  learned  to  eat 
oatmeal,  and  in  the  library  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  Burns  and  Scott.  So  the 
lives  just  united  were  beginning  to  influ- 
ence others  in  a  quiet  way. 

The  years  went  by  and  I  grew  up  to  be 
a  woman.  I  saw  more  and  more  each  year 
what  it  was  that  made  Mary's  home  so 
attractive.  It  was  her  wonderful  unselfish- 
ness. Her  hospitality  was  unbounded. 
With  a  large  family  of  children  to  provide 
for,  and  so  much  sewing  to  do,  it  seemed 


96  Mary  L.  Carter. 

as  if  company  would  be  such  an  undertak- 
ing. But  she  was  so  unselfish,  that  she  was 
willing  to  take  all  the  trouble  for  the  sake 
of  the  pleasure  it  would  give  others. 

Everything  went  on  in  the  most  orderly 
manner  with  a  houseful  of  guests.  This 
broadened  her  own  life,  and  awakened  her 
sympathy  in  many  other  lives.  Mrs.  Henry 
Ward  Beecher  says  :  — 

"  A  woman  can  do  her  own  work,  be  her 
own  dressmaker,  and  incidentally  bring  up 
a  family  of  children,  accomplishing  all  in  a 
satisfactory  manner,  if  she  be  upheld  by 
the  thought,  that  her  husband's  love  and 
trust  are  placed  upon  her." 

While  Mary  did  not  have  to  do  all  con- 
tained in  the  above  quotation,  she  did 
bring  up  a  large  family  of  sons  and 
daughters,  providing  for  their  many  wants 
by  economy  and  excellent  management. 
Her  husband's  affection,  pride  and  en- 
couragement in  her  capability  more  than 
repaid  her  for  the  trouble  she  took,  plan- 
ning and  working  for  them  all. 


Reminiscences.  97 

It  always  seemed  to  me  a  lovely  house- 
hold, the  heads  of  it  being  uniformly  of 
one  mind.  As  Longfellow  says  in  **  Hia- 
watha,'* 

'^  As  unto  the  bow,  the  cord  is, 
So  unto  the  man  is  woman, 
Though  she  bends  him,  she  obej'S  him, 
Though  she  draws  him  yet  she  follows, 
Useless  each  without  the  other." 

During  the  last  few  years,  Mary  and  I 
grew  very  close  to  one  another,  and  we  had 
many  confidential  chats,  about  our  homes 
and  our  children.  She  had  lofty  aspira- 
tions for  her  children,  but  always  un- 
worldly ones.  Their  spiritual  good  was 
nearest  her  heart. 

It  was  not  only  for  her  family  and  kins- 
folk she  wrought,  but  for  the  poor  and 
needy  everywhere.  She  went  out  of  her 
*  way  to  do  helpful  things  for  women  in 
trouble.  She  climbed  flights  of  tenement 
stairs,  to  give,  by  her  cheerful  presence, 
encouragement  and  hope  to  sorrow-stricken 
souls. 

7 


98  Mary  L.  Carter, 

Much  has  gone  out  of  my  life,  by  the 
death  of  my  unselfish  sister  Mary.  But 
her  memory  will  ever  be  bright  in  my 
home,  and  her  influence  for  good  undy- 
ing. 

Her  niece,  Mrs.  I.  W.  Cochran  writes  : 

Do  you  remember  the  day  when  you 
introduced  me  to  Aunt  Minnie  on  Fifth 
Avenue  near  19th  Street  and  I  saw  her  for 
the  first  time.  Afterwards  you  told  me  she 
was  to  be  my  aunt,  and  I  was  to  call  her 
Aunt  Minnie  because  I  had  so  many  Aunt 
Marys. 

Then  came  the  wedding,  an  event  of 
great  interest  to  all  of  us  children.  How 
we  all  enjoyed  going  up  to  your  dear  little 
house  in  26th  Street. 

It  seems  to  me  the  most  striking  thing 
about  Aunt  Minnie  was  her  motherhood. 
She  was  an  ideal  mother.  Nothing  better 
could  be  said  of  any  woman.  I  never  saw 
a  more  lovely  and  interesting  group  than 
those  four  little  girls,  so  bright  and  healthy 


Reminiscences.  99 

and  natural,  so  loving  and  obedient,  so 
merry  and  happy.  She  was  merry  and 
happy  with  them  and  not  very  much  older. 
I  remember  once  going  into  the  26th  Street 
house  nursery  and  she  was  telling  me  what 
a  merry  game  they  had  been  having  to- 
gether and  how  she  said,  "  Oh  dear,  I  feel 
as  if  I  should  go  out  of  my  head."  And 
Nannie  exclaimed,  *'  Oh  Mamma,  how 
funny  you  would  look  !  " 

Her  babies  always  went  to  sleep  when 
she  wanted  them  to,  and  woke  up  when 
she  wanted  them  to,  and  were  fed  at  reg- 
ular times  and  consequently  never  had 
colic. 

She  was  the  best  manager  I  ever  saw. 
Her  house,  neat  as  a  pin,  her  table  liberal 
and  elegant  and  such  a  pair  of  hands  to 
turn  off  work.  Her  dress  was  always  neat 
and  tasteful.  She  told  me  once  that  she 
could  go  out  in  the  worst  of  v/alking  and 
come  back  with  an  immaculate  white 
skirt. 

As  to  the  bringing  up  of  her  children, 


lOO  Mary  L.  Carter. 

there  never  was  any  forcing  process.  It 
was  not  a  hothouse  but  a  nursery.  The 
young  plants  were  trained  away  from  what 
was  hurtful  and  debasing  up  into  God's 
pure  air  and  sunshine.  They  soon  learned 
to  find  pleasure  in  good  books,  and  none 
of  them  had  to  be  urged  to  study.  It  was 
in  the  home  atmosphere  and  they  took  to 
it  like  ducks  to  water. 

They  were  taught  so  naturally  and 
simply,  that  the  right  way  seemed  to  them 
the  pleasant  way.  God  was  their  friend 
and  they  never  knew  the  time  when  they 
did  not  love  Him. 

You  remember  better  than  I  do,  the 
time  when  you  both  had  the  fruits  of  your 
united  efforts,  when  all  the  four  little  girls 
came  in  one  day  saying  that  they  wanted 
to  be  Christians.  Dear  little  May  was  left 
out  from  the  Communion  table  because 
she  was  so  young,  just  as  David  was  left 
out  from  Jesse's  feast,  but  she  was  chosen 
of  God  for  all  that.  But  it  was  only  for  a 
httle  while  she  was  left  out,  as  the  follow- 


Reminiscences.  loi 

ing  year,  May  took  her  place  with  the 
others  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 

She  never  thought  her  children  a  trouble 
and  never  said  they  were  too  near  of  an 
age. 

Another  thing  I  remember  about  her 
was  her  willingness  to  oblige  with  her 
music.  She  said  that  her  father  had  given 
her  the  best  of  advantages,  vocal  and 
instrumental,  on  condition  that  she  would 
always  play  or  sing  when  asked,  not  wait- 
ing to  be  urged.  Though  an  accomplished 
musician  and  trained  to  sing  very  difficult 
music,  when  she  found  her  husband  Hked 
Scotch  ballads  best,  she  learned  them  for 
his  sake.  She  had  her  reward,  for  her 
beautiful  rendering  of  these  simple  and 
heart-touching  songs  won  her  more  admir- 
ation than  her  Italian  Opera  songs  would 
have  done.  It  was  a  line  all  her  own. 
Then  during  the  war  she  sang  patriotic 
songs  that  pleased  everybody. 

My  son  told  me  since  her  death  that 
when  she  was  entertaining  a  houseful   of 


102  Mary  L.  Carter. 

young  people  last  Christmas-tide  she  sang 
the  clear  old  Scotch  song,  "  I  loe  nae 
laddie  but  ane."  She  changed  the  name 
of  Jamie  in  the  last  line  and  exclaimed 
"  And  now  I  am  Peter's  for  life."  Then 
she  jumped  up  from  the  piano-stool  and 
ran  over  and  kissed  you,  blushing  like   a 

girl. 

I  always  loved  to  get  her  letters.  She 
wrote  such  a  graceful  Httle  note  in  such  a 
dainty  way  and  always  with  some  sweet 
thought  in  it. 

Much  as  she  loved  May,  I  do  not  think 
she  even  for  a  moment  grudged  her  to  her 
Master,  whom  she  loved  better  still.  How 
greatly  May's  consecration  increased  her 
interest  in  missions  !  Where  her  treasure 
was  there  was  her  heart  also.  She 
seemed  to  have  no  worldly  ambitions  for 
her  children,  but  was  more  than  satisfied  if 
they  were  serving  God  faithfully. 

But  above  everything  else  I  remember 
the  love  and  sympathy  she  showed  me  in 
my  own  sorrows  and  especially  about  dear 


Rem  in  tscen  ccs .  103 

little  Kitty.  She  came  up  to  53rd  Street 
and  spent  the  morning  that  Kitty  died  with 
us  and  sang  Kitty's  favorite  hymns.  She 
had  a  loving  heart  which  was  readily 
touched  with  the  grief  of  others. 

Her  nephew,  Rev.  S.  T.  Carter,  writes  : 

My  earliest  recollections  are  connected 
with  my  Uncle  Peter.  He  lived  in  my 
father's  house  and  was  more  as  an  older 
brother  to  us  boys,  than  an  uncle. 

The  great  event  of  the  year  was  the 
journey  to  Saratoga  County,  where  we 
spent  the  summer  vacation  with  our  grand- 
mother. 

The  start  was  made  in  the  good  steam- 
boat, Isaac  Newton,  the  jangle  of  whose 
starting  bell  seems  still  to  ring  in  my  ear. 
The  crowded  steamboat,  the  hurrying  pas- 
sengers, the  state-room,  the  engine,  and, 
as  we  travelled  on,  the  moonlight  on  the 
palisades,  and  (I  do  not  know  but  I  may 
truthfully  add)  as  the  grand  climax,  the 
ice-cream    man   with    his  wine    glasses  of 


104  Mary  L.   Carter. 

cream,  then  not  so  common  as  now,  —  all 
made  a  combination  that  just  suited  us 
boys.  And  Uncle  Peter  was  the  presiding 
genius  of  the  occasion.  Up  in  Saratoga 
County,  there  was  that  delight  of  children, 
a  beautiful  creek,  flowing  under  the  win- 
dows of  my  grandmother's  house  and  the 
pleasure  there  was  endless.  The  baths, 
though  the  water  was  sufficiently  shallow 
to  remove  all  danger  of  drowning,  about  up 
to  our  knees,  and  the  dam  we  built  and  the 
mill-wheel  that  turned  below  it,  made  of 
two  shingles  crossed,  and  the  fishes,  finger- 
length,  that  we  caught  amid  much  excite- 
ment, all  these  brought  out  Uncle  Peter  in 
full  force.  Time  passed,  and  we  had  to 
share  our  friend,  of  whom  we  claimed  full 
proprietorship,  with  another.  Uncle  Peter 
was  to  be  married.  He  married  Aunt 
Minnie  and  settled  down  in  26th  Street, 
New  York,  which  then  became  our  Mecca 
with  very  frequent  pilgrimages.  There 
was  a  circle  of  young  friends  that  we 
would  meet  often  at  this  house  and  very 
merry  were  the  hours  there. 


Rem  iniscejices.  105 

The  great  feature  was  the  Scotch  songs 
that  Aunt  Minnie  used  to  sing.  I  hear  them 
yet,  *'  Will  ye  no  come  back  again," 
"  Castles  in  the  air,"  "  Annie  Laurie,"  **  In 
the  garb  of  old  Gaul,"  "  The  Land  of  the 
Leal."  We  had  never  heard  much  singing 
in  our  own  home.  This  was  our  first  intro- 
duction to  the  world  of  song,  and  what  a 
solace  and  inspiration  to  the  heart  of  man 
is  song !  We  boys  owned  its  charm  at 
once  and  always,  like  Oliver  Twist,  asked 
for  more.  And  never  was  there  a  more 
willing  singer.  She  did  not  have  colds, 
nor  was  she  of  the  number  who  cannot 
sing  without  their  notes  and  never  have 
their  notes,  nor  did  she  require  a  special 
auditory.  Boys  were  good  enough  for  her, 
so  away  she  went  on  another  song  and  the 
applause  was  rapturous. 

These  evenings  are  my  memory  of  Aunt 
Minnie,  and  it  is  one  of  the  happiest  mem- 
ories of  my  life.  Heaven  is  a  tuneful 
place  and  I  imagine  she  is  enjoying  it. 

We  met  for  the  last  time  in  the  cars  on 


io6  Mary  L.   Carter. 

a  sad  errand,  my  brother's  funeral.  It  was 
he  and  I  that  used  to  turn  our  steps  so 
often  to  the  26th  Street  house.  Our  steps 
always  turned  together  in  those  days,  from 
the  first  day  of  schooling  to  the  last  of 
graduating  at  the  Theological  Seminary, 
fifteen  years  after.  She  and  I  both  loved 
him  very  dearly,  and  as  we  sat  in  the  same 
seat  we  talked  of  the  one  who  was  suddenly 
called  away.  She  was  the  same  eager, 
brimful  one  that  she  had  always  been,  in- 
terested in  everything,  the  old  days  or  the 
present  experience,  and  I  little  thought  it 
was  the  last  talk  we  would  ever  have  on 
earth.  And  that  is  well,  to  move  forward  to 
the  close  in  full  flood,  like  a  great  river 
meeting  the  ocean  ;  it  is  good  to  die  so. 
God  gave  her  long  and  happy  years  with 
her  husband,  God  gave  her  a  beautiful 
family  of  children,  and  her  woman's  heart 
was  full. 


Reminiscences.  107 

NOT   CHANGED    BUT    GLORIFIED. 

BY  P.   T.  M. 

Not  changed,  but  glorified  !  Oh  beauteous  lan- 
guage 

For  those  who  weep, 
Mourning  the  loss  of  some  dear  face  departed, 
Fallen  asleep  ! 

Hushed    into  silence,   never  more  to  comfort 

The  hearts  of  men, 
Gone,  like  the  sunshine  of  another  country, 

Beyond  our  ken. 

Will  she  be  changed,  so  glorified  and  saintly, 

That  we  shall  know  her  not  ? 
Will  there  be  nothing  that  shall  say,  "  I  love 
thee, 

And  I  have  not  forgot  ?" 

O  faithless  heart,  the  same  loved  face  trans- 
figured 

Shall  meet  thee  there, 
Less  sad,  less  wistful,  in  immortal  beauty 

Divinely  fair. 


io8  Mary  L.  Carter. 

Let  us  be  patient,  we  who  mourn,  with  weep- 
ing, 

Her  vanished  face, 
The  Lord  has  taken,  but  to  add  more  beauty 
And  a  diviner  grace. 

Think  of  us,  dearest  one,  while  o'er  life's  waters 

We  seek  the  land, 
Missing  thy  voice,  thy  touch,  and  the  true  help- 
ing 

Of  thy  pure  hand. 

Till  through  the  storm  and  tempest,  safely  an- 
chored 

Just  on  the  other  side. 
We  find  thy  dear  face  looking  through  death's 
shadows, 

Not  changed,  but  glorified. 


DATE  DUE 


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